mystery lover

After drinking milk, Oster and the boy came to the top of Calton Hill. Even in winter, the scenery on this hill is still very beautiful.Osdra lay down on the grass next to the monument with the boy beside him, enjoying the rare sunshine in winter.

To the west of them stands the towering old castle of Edinburgh, guarding this quiet town, while to the east, there is a blue ocean and white sails on the bay.Occasionally, a group of pedestrians laughed and walked on the path below them.The sunlight hit Oster's body, and Riddle suddenly had a sense of unreality in a dream.

That was before he met Nico, the boy was just the strange boy who repeatedly appeared in his dreams. At that time, Nico, as now, alternated with his past black and white dreams. A color never seen in Del's past dreams.It was a brightly colored dream, but it was like sex, with the ultimate attraction.

Until the day he met him.

Sitting next to Oster, Riddle slowly lay down on the lawn. In fact, sleeping in this kind of place is not so annoying.

The first Christmas gift Oster gave Tom was a diary with a black cover, which was a very delicate handmade diary, with a silver nameplate on the back of the diary, and Tom's name was engraved on the back of the diary , that is Oster's handwriting.

"I like it very much, thank you." Riddle said to the boy, sincerity shone in his jewel-like black eyes, and the boy's hand holding the diary couldn't help but tighten.

This will be one of the most cherished gifts in his life.

And Riddle's gift to Nico was a silver ring that was almost the same as the alchemy ring that Nico had given to the boy.When Oster received the boy's gift, Oster felt his heart was about to jump out of his chest for a moment!

The ring was obviously the same as the one he had given to Tom, which had been made by Tom himself...

When Oster held the gift in his palm, he could even feel the warmth from the ring.

It almost drove him crazy!If it wasn't for the fact that the person in front of him was just a boy, he would have mistakenly thought that the person was courting him!And Oster was once again ashamed of his thoughts on a boy.

At the end of the holiday, Oster learned that the 31st of this month was Tom's birthday.

Because of the sudden news, Osted did not prepare in advance how to celebrate Tom's birthday. Although the boy showed that he didn't care, Osted was still struggling with one of the most important people to him at the moment. After racking my brains, I finally got an idea.For this reason, the corners of the boy's eyes were even stained with a smile.Evidently satisfied with his own plans.

"Tom, I want to share my secret base with you."

As Oster said, he took out the wand in his hand, and then conjured a broomstick out of nowhere.

"Are we going to fly there like this?" Riddle was obviously taken aback when he saw the broom in Nico's hand.

"Hmm... haha... It seems that I'm going to do this now. I haven't learned how to reveal my entourage..." I should have written down the spell if I knew it, but I thought I wouldn't need it...

On this side, Osted was thinking angrily, and on the other side, Riddle silently wrote down the name of the spell of Appearance of Followers.

And then after casting a powerful Confusion Charm, Oster just... rides on a broomstick with Tom in his arms.

Apparently... I didn't expect this effect at all... but... it feels good...

Oster blushed silently.

I thought to myself that it's a good thing Tom can't see it!

When the broom flew up under Nico's control, Riddle was trapped between the two arms of the young man behind him. He had never liked brooms, but at this moment, listening to the whistling wind in his ears, Riddle It might be nice to have a different way of flying, Del thought.

The black-haired boy seemed to like the feeling of looking down on everything from high in the sky. The boy behind him didn't know what he was thinking at the moment, and Oster only felt that he seemed to be getting worse and worse... This is really bad.

But... I really hope to see Tom grow up...

Thinking of this, the corners of Oster's eyes overflowed with a smile again, as if that distant future had already taken shape.

The broom carrying two people flew over the frozen river, the snow-covered village, and the continuous mountains. When Riddle felt it began to descend, what caught his eye was Endless heights.And where he and Nico finally landed, you can still see a few scattered villages at the foot of the mountain, they are surrounded by a lake, and on the other side within sight is an old viaduct.

It is about winter, so there is a thin mist around the top of the mountain, making this place extraordinarily quiet.

After putting away the broom, Nico chose a place with a good view and sat down. Riddle naturally walked over to the boy.

Oster looked up at the boy beside him, "How about Tom, this place is not bad."

Riddle nodded, thinking that this was the boy's secret base, he began to carefully look at the surrounding scenery, and Oster beside him also looked at the things in front of him and fell into a short thought.

It was still the same as it was in his time, quiet and clean.All the fuss seems to have nothing to do with this place.It's like a lonely land here.Oster used to come to this place often.He can stand on the edge of the mountain and look into the distance, he can lie down and sleep under the trees beside him, or he can walk around the uninhabited path while staring blankly, which usually takes the boy a whole day.

……

"You were the first person I brought here, Tom."

Oster withdrew his drifting thoughts, and when his eyes fell on the boy standing beside him, he knew that he wanted to share everything about him with him.

"I love it here, Nico."

"I'm glad you liked it, Tom, let me sing you a song, happy birthday to you."

After Oster finished speaking, a tune that he heard when he was passing the church in his childhood flashed in his mind.

It was a Muggle song, but Oster remembered it deeply.

"love of my life you've hurt me

you've broken my heart and now you leave me

love of my life can't you see

bring it back bring it back

don't take it away from me

because you don't know what it means"

My favorite

My favorite

don't you understand

please don't leave

don't take love away from me

……

"love of my life don't leave me

you'vetakenmyloveyounowdesertme

love of my life can't you see

bring it back bring it back

don't take it away from me

because you don't know What it means"

My favorite

My favorite

don't you understand

your love is irreplaceable

come back come back

……

"you will remember when this is blown over

and everything's all by the way

whenIgrowolderIwillbethereatyoursidetomindyou

how I still love you I still love you"

when it's all over

When all the past is gone with the wind

you will remember you will remember

when i'm getting old

I'll stay by your side and let you know

i still love

i still love you so much

……

"back hurry back

please bring it back home

because you don't know

what it means anstome

love of my life

love of my life..."

come back come back

Come back to me with our love

you'll know how much that means to me

My favorite

My favorite

……

The author has something to say: In other words, the author wrote that when Oster fantasized about their future, he kept listening to that distant place~ what it looked like~

/ is it a dream is that you

Even if reality wakes me up

The less disturbed a tiny life is, the more difficult it is to take it lightly

Is it a dream? Is it you?

Those youthful eyes

I no longer dodge my beating heart and stay awake even against the light/recommended~~that distant place~~~~~~~~

☆, the last promise

In the fifth grade Charms class, Riddle successfully added five points to Slytherin after being the first to cast the armor protection.

This is really not a difficult thing for Tom Riddle, but it does not prevent the professor from praising him and staring at him with a hint of admiration.

The 15-year-old Riddle already had the same height as an adult wizard. Although his cheeks were slightly thin, he looked very handsome.If under such a perfect appearance and Hogwarts school's first grade for four consecutive years, it is not difficult to understand that such a Tom Riddle has some admirers.

After class, the slender black-haired boy left the Charms classroom without stopping. His steps were steady. After walking down the left-hand corridor on the fourth floor, the black-haired boy walked through the marble stone in front of the hall. When he reached the corner of another corridor, faint chatter and laughter came from the top of the stairs.

When Riddle looked up, the boy talking in the stairwell seemed to have noticed the black-haired boy downstairs.

Osted put away the attention that originally fell on the circle around him, and when he looked at Tom who was still holding the textbook in his hand, the corner of the teenager's mouth raised a nice arc.

Against the white light refracted in from the castle window, Riddle saw Niko's almost transparent Turkish blue eyes, which were a kind of blue that was almost the same color as water and sky. The corners of the eyes, just like when the owner of these eyes looked at him, there always seemed to be countless tenderness and sincerity in them.

That was a comment he would never have made about anyone other than Nico.

"Oh... your Tom." Abraxas on the side raised a tactful aria, and beside him were heirs of several pure-blood families.

Riddle is no stranger to Nico's circle of friends. Ever since Nico transferred over in the fourth year, Slytherin House has formed a new structure centered on Malfoy and Perenelle. This is of course in line with Nico's family background. Can't get rid of the relationship, but after witnessing the powerful spell skills of this transfer student again and again, it was not until last year that Nico was selected as a Hogwarts warrior and won the Triwizard Tournament for Hogwarts. Afterwards, Nicol's status in Slytherin was once comparable to that of Malfoy, the power core of the Slytherin house in the past.And as all Slytherin students know, Nicol Pennerel and Abraxas Malfoy are good friends.

"What happened?" Riddle looked at the boy walking beside him, he was already taller than this boy, and the emotion on Nico's face was obviously good, and then thinking of the conversation and laughter in the stairwell just now, It seemed that something had put the boy in a good mood.

Looking around from the corner of his eye, Oster leaned in Tom's direction, and then a gentle whisper sounded in Riddle's ear.

"We... secretly beat up the Gryffindor Quidditch players."

After Oster finished speaking, the arc of the corner of his mouth deepened.Of course, if the opponent doesn't provoke Abramovich, Oster promises that he will be lighter.But looking at those Gryffindors who seem to be lying in the medical wing for a few days, I wonder if they can catch up with the game against Slytherin next week...

"It seems that you want to be invited to drink tea by the dean of their college again." Riddle's calm tone almost made Oster who was listening on the side fall.

"Tom..." Oster's expression was a little aggrieved, as if thinking of something, the boy curled his lips, "Speaking of this, you still criticize me, I have already told you, don't take me to class or practice Quidditch Oddly, I secretly ran to the Response Room alone to study your pile of black magic. Do you know that if Abu and I hadn’t arrived in time last time, you would have been packed and thrown out of Hogwarts by the dean. "

"That's because you're not here, I'm bored." There was no trace of guilt in Riddle's voice, which made Oster next to him almost feel a sense of righteousness.

"So—how about the black magic you studied recently?" Oster was very interested in those ancient spells that Tom was keen on, and usually he would hide with Tom in the Response Room on the eighth floor to tinker.But after entering the seventh grade, Oster became busier and spent less time with Tom than before.

"You can try it with Gryffindor next time."

"That's not good."

Looking at the indistinct emotion on Tom's face, Osted continued with a guilty conscience.After the two of them walked back to the dormitory, Riddle took off the robe on his body, while Osted, who was at the side, looked at Tom's tall and thin back, habitually...

Arrhythmia.

Sure enough, no matter what Tom did... he would be attracted.

Oster fell silently on the bed in the dormitory and buried his face in the quilt.

"Nico."

Riddle walked to Nico's bedside, and when he spoke, the boy lying on the bed turned over and looked at him.Riddle looked at the boy's misty eyes, the hazy blue color almost made Riddle's natural footsteps almost stiff.

Something burns in the body like a fire.

"What's the matter, Tom?"

Oster lay still on the bed, he just looked at Tom over there suspiciously.

"I... go take a shower."

After finishing speaking, the black-haired boy turned around and escaped from Oster's sight.

In the subsequent Quidditch final, Slytherin defeated the wounded Gryffindor without any suspense.After Oster caught the Snitch, the boy who had finished the game rode his broom to the man next to the stand.

The cheers from Slytherin's side hadn't stopped yet, and Oster spread his hands towards the black-haired boy with a rare mischievousness.

"Tom, are you coming up?"

Riddle stared at the boy who stopped in front of the stands. When the corner of the boy's mouth was raised higher and higher, at that moment, Riddle jumped lightly and sat behind Nico, and then grabbed Nico's broom Finally, the two-person flying broomstick was lifted up again.

"Merlin..."

Abraxas, who was still receiving congratulations on the court, looked at the two people above the court who had completely disregarded their occasions... The platinum noble kept his gorgeous smirk at this moment, could he talk to Nico again? ?

And Osted, who had never thought that Tom would really jump up, was almost stiff in the arms of the boy behind him at this moment, and he couldn't even control the broom...

But after the broom rose higher and higher, Oster was surprised to find that there was no magic input on his broom.

"Tom?" Oster, who was being hugged, turned his head slightly, he wanted to see the boy behind him.

"I invented the flying technique." Riddle said, with an inexplicable smile on the corner of his mouth, "Isn't it much more convenient than riding a broom?"

By the end of the school year, Slytherin won the House Cup without any suspense by surpassing the second-ranked Ravenclaw House by 270 points.

Headmaster Armando Dippet toasted for this, and it was obvious that the Slytherin-born headmaster was very satisfied with the result.However, for the Slytherin students, it is already customary to be proud after celebrating. After all, for them, the number of consecutive years of winning the Academy Cup is already quite impressive.

But this year, Nico Penerel and Abraxas Malfoy graduated.

"Are you really not considering staying at the British Ministry of Magic?" Abraxas once again threw out an olive branch to his best friend from his student days.

However, Nicole gave him the same answer as before, he had decided to go back to France to study alchemy with Nicholas.

"Well, no matter what, you have to know that the door of Malfoy Manor is always open for you." Abraxas said, looking at the black-haired man who was waiting by the Hogwarts Express not far away. Boy, "After all, your~Tom is still here."

After Abraxas finished speaking, as expected, he saw his friend who was always calm showing a moment of embarrassment.

"Abu." Oster stopped, worried that his friend would say something more embarrassing.

"Come on, Nicol, on paper, who in Slytherin doesn't know that Riddle doesn't really care about anyone but you. Well, he's such a faultless Slytherin." , But Nico, you have to keep a close eye on this little friend of yours." After Abraxas finished speaking, he habitually narrowed his fox-like eyes.

Tom Riddle, the boy he also started to pay attention to because of Nicole's appearance.Obviously, even Abraxas had to admit in the end that Nicole's vision really made him want to praise unexpectedly.

But Abraxas could see the infinite potential in Riddle, so he could see the strength and ambition hidden behind the boy, which made him have to tell his friend again and again.

Don't be too careless... Nico.

Otherwise, the dominant person in the end...maybe who it is.

Sad Abraxas.

"I see, Abu."

Oster finished speaking with a smile, and opened his arms.

Abraxas watched his movements, and the platinum noble raised his eyebrows gracefully, then reached out and hugged the boy in front of him.

"Bless you my friend."

"Bless you, Nico... Besides, your growth is really slow."

After Abraxas finished speaking, he rubbed the top of the boy's head in an unglamorous manner.

"It's a family tradition..."

In the summer of 1943, even though Nico had graduated, Tom was with him during the vacation.

This has become a common practice between the two of them. Riddle hasn't been back to the Muggle orphanage for a long time since Nico came.When every holiday comes, Nico always invites him to go with him for various reasons.

Together, they have been to wizarding towns in France, visited the magical forests in Switzerland, walked in the polar snow-capped mountains of Finland, and even visited wizarding gathering places in Germany.It was a rather risky move, and Riddle could even hear the cry in his heart.In just four years, he and Nico had already traveled to most of Europe, which was something that Riddle never thought about.

"I think we can go to Italy this holiday. Although there are not many wizarding villages there, but... I heard that the ice cream there is delicious."

When Oster finished speaking, he felt that his purpose had been exposed, and he pretended that he did not see the playfulness in Tom's eyes.

"It's up to you." Riddle already knew Nicole's love of food and desserts very well.

"But before that, I want to take you somewhere."

……

When Oster was taken by Tom to a black rock out of the sea with his followers, he was almost immediately enveloped by the oncoming smell of the sea.The teenager looked at the moonlit sea and the starry night sky in the distance, and a damp breeze blew his hair.The waves rolled and foamed beneath his feet.Oster turned his head and looked back.Behind him stood a cliff, the steep rock wall fell straight down, and it was so dark that he couldn't see his face clearly.Several large rocks, like the one he and Tom were standing on, seemed to have broken off the face of the cliff at some point in the past.The surroundings are bare and desolate, except for the vast sea and rocks, there is no tree, no grass and sand.

Just when Oster was puzzled, the boy's nice voice rang in Oster's ear.

"Welcome to my secret base, Nico."

The expression on Osted's face became obviously surprised by the boy's words. After looking around again, Osted couldn't help laughing, "Tom, you really know how to choose a place!"

This is definitely much more secretive than Oster's own secret base in the Scottish Highlands.

Riddle pursed the corners of his mouth, motioning for Nico to follow him.It didn't take long before they came to a cave.

Oster carefully looked at the scene in the cave. They were standing on the shore of a large black lake. The lake was so wide that it stretched as far as the eye could see. Oster could not see the far shore.The cave they were in was so high that they couldn't see the top of the cave when they looked up.

Tom walked around the shore, Oster at his side.Their footsteps echoed on the narrow rocks by the lake.They kept going forward, but the surrounding scene didn't seem to change at all. On one side was the rough cave wall, on the other side was the boundless, mirror-like black lake, and in the middle of the lake was an open space.

Until Tom beside him stopped.

"Look, Nicole." Tom's wand gleaming with silver light pointed at the dark water surface, where golden light flickered instantly.

That's when Oster saw them—white as marble, floating a few inches below the surface.

"dead body--?"

Oster also pointed his wand at the surface of the lake, and there were countless dead bodies under the surface of the water.

Even the well-informed Osted was also staggered in fright by the large pile of dead bodies.

"Tom, how did you find this place..."

"When I was a child, during the spring outing in the orphanage."

"..."

"Nico, don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid..."

"You're shaking."

"I'm a little cold..."

Oster suddenly wanted to smash the head of the director of the orphanage to see what was in it, why did the orphanage choose such a place for the spring outing!

Also, why does his Tom always like these creatures—!

"Don't be afraid, Nico, I know how to control them."

As Riddle spoke, he waved the wand in his hand, and as expected, several infernal corpses crawled out from the bottom of the black pool, but they seemed to obey Tom's order and did not take any further action.

"Tom... you really did secretly study other black magic behind my back."

Oster's voice sounded resentful.

"Nothing..."

"However... this is quite a large army."

Oster looked at the dead body at the bottom of the lake and said thoughtfully, while Riddle beside him fell into deep thought.

"Nico, if you want to hide something later, put it in the middle of the lake."

Oster listened to the boy's words, and looked at the middle of the lake surrounded by dead bodies.

"That's a good idea."

It's kind of scary...

"I promise, they will never attack you."

"...I'm not afraid of these things."

It never occurred to Riddle that Nico would disappear in front of him.

Right in front of his eyes, right in front of his eyes.

He came out of the secret passage at Hogwarts and found Abraxas, but the other party knew better than he did.Then he went to France and met the Nicholas who always appeared in Nico's words.

He didn't like the way the old man looked at him, and he didn't need anyone's hypocritical concern except Nico.

However, the other party just told him to trust Nico and not to look for Nico?

Riddle hated these people.

But he... trusted Nico.

Since no one can tell him the truth, he finds it himself.

Then he discovered the secret room.

then……

A student dies.

Died under the watchful eye of the basilisk.

The basilisk controlled by him.

until this moment.

Only then did Riddle realize that he, too, was afraid.

He was not afraid of how many Hogwarts students he would kill by controlling the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets with Parseltongue.

But he was afraid that one day he would die.

"What if I die and Niko can't find me..."

So Riddle made a Horcrux.

Use that journal that he treasures.

It was given to him by Nico on his thirteenth birthday.

Then he sealed his memories before the age of 16 together with his split soul in this diary with a black cover.

There are the most precious memories of his life, and his only feelings.

Then with the opening of the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets, rumors of the Slytherin heir began to circulate at Hogwarts.

Summer of 1944

During that summer vacation, Riddle went to Little Hangleton Village alone. In the dilapidated Gaunt's old house, he met his nominal uncle Morfin Gaunt.After learning that his grandfather Marvolo had passed away, Riddle stunned Morfin and took away the ring from the Gaunt family. Then in Riddle's mansion, Riddle killed the old Tom he hated with Morfin's wand. Family, that is, his poor Muggle father.

When school started again, Riddle was also in seventh grade, and he was elected president of the Boys' Body.During this period, he also won the Outstanding Moral Award, the Academy's Special Contribution Award, etc., and a Merlin Medal.

But Riddle is not satisfied, he is far from satisfied with these awards in the school.

In 1945, with the graduation of Tom Riddle, this once good and handsome boy faded from everyone's memory.

until ten years later

The name of Lord Voldemort began to sweep the entire wizarding world.

☆、We will meet again after 20 years

"what--"

With a heavy landing sound, under the impact, Oster almost fell a few meters away.Fortunately, there was a thick sheet of white snow under him, otherwise the boy would have fainted from the pain at this moment.Although he doesn't look much different now.

Oster, who was in severe pain all over his body, gritted his teeth and took out a bottle of healing potion from the storage bag. After swallowing the whole bottle of potion, the boy who had recovered a little put some medicine on his body. Several spells.

After half an hour passed, Oster stood up from the snow and looked around hesitantly.

Although it has been four years, this should be the place where I left this time.As if thinking of something, Oster waved the wand in his hand, and the numbers that appeared in the air undoubtedly confirmed Oster's conjecture.

[-].

He really left this time for four years.

Four years...

Oster was eager to know what had happened all these years.

And grandpa.

and also……

his tom.

It's been 20 years since I left him.

Tom...does he still remember him?

Oster suddenly felt a pain in his chest and was a little out of breath.

For Tom, it has been 20 years since they parted.For Oster, he returned to today, 20 years later, with the same ardent feelings as before.

If Tom had forgotten himself...if Tom had a lover and a family of his own...

This seems to be the most reasonable thing to do.

After apparating, a 19-year-old youth who had faded from his youth came to the outside of Hogsmeade village.After changing the long hair that he had been accustomed to growing to his shoulders in the past few years into the neat short hair that he had at the beginning, Osted covered himself with a hood, and then walked into Hogsmeade, which seemed to have not changed much. .

It is not difficult to know the recent situation in the wizarding world, and it didn't take long for Oster to get the general news.

And not long after he left four years ago, the first wizarding war broke out in the British wizarding world.

The Order of the Phoenix and the Death Eaters... and the Ministry of Aurors under the current Ministry of Magic Law Enforcement Director Barty Crouch Sr.

The war between the two parties has even risen to the point where the Unforgivable Curse can be used directly.

……

After finding a safe place, Oster first tried to contact his grandfather.

When Dave Castei knew that his grandson was still alive, the old face that seemed to have aged decades in the past few years suddenly showed a look that had not been seen for many years , and the tears that kept sliding down the old man's face.

"Al, don't say anything, come to Germany right now."

It's not that Oster didn't expect this request from his grandfather, it's just...he can't go to Germany yet.

"Grandpa...give me some time, and when I find someone, I'll go to Germany to meet you right away."

When Dave saw the unshakable determination in Oster's eyes, Dave, who was lost and recovered, no longer insisted that Oster go to Germany immediately.Oster is still alive...as long as his grandson is alive.

After completing one thing, Oster immediately started the second thing that he cared about most...finding Tom.

And when he found out that he could only rely on Abraxas to get news about Tom, thinking of the other party's current status among the Death Eaters, Osted hesitated.

Abu...

It's not that I doubt the friendship between myself and the other party, it's just that the current situation is too special...

Not to mention that in the eyes of everyone, Voldemort has ordered the destruction of the entire Castei family, and it is his appearance that has not changed from 20 years ago. Oster really does not know how to explain it to Abramovich.And since he has been missing for so many years, with Abu's intelligence, it is inevitable that he will not find anything.

Even so, Oster still appeared at the gate of Malfoy Manor before dusk fell on this day.

He had to find Tom, and Abu was the only one who might know about Tom.

Malfoy Manor

When Abraxas received a message delivered in a special way, for a moment, the platinum-blond man suspected that he had really been too tired recently that he was hallucinating.But when the more and more obvious signal came, Abraxas almost lost his composure and appeared at the door of his manor.

"Who are you!"

Abraxas looked at the man standing outside the manor whose face was covered by a hood. The man was not very tall, but his figure was familiar enough to shock the platinum noble.

That is the acquaintance stored in the depths of the memory, and it is the nostalgia when I occasionally dream back at midnight.

Impossible... That way of transmitting messages... It was obviously invented by Nico and him when they were at Hogwarts...

As if he noticed the platinum nobleman's inappropriate gaffe and serious lack of vigilance, Oster's voice suddenly became a little hoarse and choked.

"Abu...it's me."

After the young man took off his hood, Abraxas looked at the face that completely overlapped with his memory. At that moment, the always calm and clear-headed Malfoy family patriarch finally showed a look of bewilderment. .

"Nico..."

The most secret reception room in Malfoy Manor, a place that even Lucius does not know now, at this moment Abraxas looked at