Harry Potter and the Way of Reason

Tom Riddle.

The word seemed to be echoing in Harry's mind, echoes coming and going just as quickly, fragmented clues trying and failing to piece together.

tom riddle is a

tom riddle used to be the one

puzzle[1]

Harry's attention was being preoccupied with other priorities.

Professor Quirrell was pointing a gun at him.

For some reason, Voldemort hadn't fired yet.

Harry's voice was very hoarse. "what do you want from me?"

"Your death," said Professor Quirrell, "is clearly not what I'm talking about. I had as much time as I wanted to kill you. The fateful battle between Voldemort and the Boy Who Lived was Dumbledore's I know where your Oxford house is, and I know there's such a thing as a sniper rifle. You would have died before you got your wand. I hope you know that, Tom?"

"Obviously," Harry murmured.His body was still shaking, and he was being programmed more for running away from a tiger than for tricky spells or thinking.But Harry could think of one thing, something the man with the gun pointed at him clearly wanted to do - he was waiting for himself to ask a question, so Harry did. "Why do you call me Tom?"

Professor Quirrell stared at him intently. "Why do I call you Tom? Answer. Your intellect is not as I hoped, but it should be enough to figure this out."

Harry's mouth seemed to know the answer before his brain managed to focus on the question. "Tom Riddle is your name. Our name. That's who Voldemort is, or was, or—something like that."

Professor Quirrell nodded. "That's more or less. You've killed the Dark Lord, and you'll only do this once. I've destroyed all of Harry Potter except for a remnant, erasing the differences between our souls so that we can Stay in the same world. Now you know that the battle between us is a lie, and you can act wisely to advance your own interests. You can also not." The muzzle poked forward slightly, letting Beads of sweat oozed from Harry's forehead. "Drop your wand. Now."

Harry lowered his wand.

"Get away from the wand," said Professor Quirrell.

Harry complied.

"Hand up your neck," said Professor Quirrell, "and take off your Time-Turner, touching only the chain. Put the Time-Turner on the ground, and walk away from the Time-Turner too."

Harry did as well.Even in his stunned state, his mind was still looking for an opportunity to spin the Time-Turner in the process, a raid that would win; but Harry knew that Professor Quirrell must have started imagining in Harry's shoes, looking for the same possible opportunity.

"Undo your pockets, put them on the floor too, and walk away."

Harry did.

"Very well," said the Defense Professor. "Now. It's time for me to get the Philosopher's Stone. I wanted to bring those four first-years here to properly erase some of their recent memories so that They will still be able to remember their original target. I will control Snape to guard the door. When the day's work is done, I will kill Snape for betraying my other identity. The descendants of these three great families, I will take them with me later to shape their future allegiance. Then you know, I have a hostage in hand. I have activated a spell that will kill Hogwarts Hundreds of students, including many you would call friends. If I manage to get the stone, I can use it to stop the spell. If it is interrupted before then, or if I choose not to stop the spell, there will be a Hundreds of students died." Professor Quirrell's voice was still gentle. "Do you see what's at stake now, kid? I'll smile when you say 'no,' but that's too much to hope for."

"I hope," Harry manages to say, though he's full of shock and heartbreak right now, the severed connection hurting like a piece of flesh has been ripped out of him, "you don't do that kind of thing, Professor." Why? , Professor Quirrell, why, why must it become like this, I don't want, I don't want, I don't want this to happen...

"Very well," said Professor Quirrell, "I allow you to give me what I want." He gestured with his gun invitingly. "It's a rare privilege, boy. Voldemort doesn't usually pass Negotiate to get what he wants."

There was a frantic rummaging in some part of Harry's mind, looking for something that might be worth more to Voldemort or Professor Quirrell than the child held hostage or the death of Severus, anything.

Another part of him, the part that never stopped thinking, already knew the answer.

"You've figured out what you want from me," said Harry, even though he was sick and bleeding from the wound on his soul. "What is it?"

"I want you to help me get the Philosopher's Stone."

Harry swallowed.His eyes moved involuntarily to the gun, then back to Professor Quirrell's face.

He knew that the storybook hero was supposed to say "no," but now, when he was actually in the situation himself, saying "no" didn't seem to make much sense.

"I am disappointed that you should still need to think," said Professor Quirrell. "It is clear that you should obey me now, because I now have an overwhelming advantage. I should teach you better than this; Under the circumstances, you should definitely pretend to admit defeat. Resistance does no good, it will only bring pain. You should have calculated that the sooner you answer the better, don't make me suspicious." Professor Quirrell's eyes examined him curiously. "Perhaps Dumbledore has fed you a whole bunch of useless talk about noble resistance? I find such morals amusing, and how easy it is to manipulate them. I assure you, I can make this resistance morally However, you are strongly advised to give in before I show you." The gun was still pointed at Harry; but Professor Quirrell waved his other hand, and Tracy Davies rose into the air, lazily Turning around, limbs outstretched—

—and then Tracy floated back, as the new adrenaline pounded Harry's heart.

"Choose," said Professor Quirrell. "This is beginning to test my patience."

I should have spoken just now, before he tore Tracy's leg off, no, I shouldn't have, the Headmaster said I must never let Voldemort see me acting because he threatened my friend, because It will only make him threaten more friends - unless what he just said is not a threat, just because that's what Voldemort does -

Harry took a few deep breaths.Some part of him, fully on autopilot, was screaming in his head to remind the rest of his brain that it couldn't handle being in shock any longer.Shock is time-bound, brain nerves keep firing anyway, and the only reason Harry's mind is shutting down while his brain is still going is because Harry's own model believes his mind will shut down—

"I didn't mean to test your patience," said Harry.His voice was hoarse.fair enough.Making himself sound like he was still in a state of shock meant that Voldemort might give him more time. "But I didn't know Voldemort had a reputation for keeping his promises."

"Obviously there are concerns," said Professor Quirrell. "The answer is simple, and I would have forced you to do it anyway. [Snakes] Snakes cannot lie. [Snake Bi] And given my extreme aversion to stupidity Disgusting, I suggest you stop saying things like 'what do you mean?'. You're not stupid enough to ask that kind of question, and I don't have time for this conversation that normal people impose on each other."

Harry swallowed.Snakes cannot lie. "[Snake] Two plus two equals four. [Snake Bi]" Harry tried to say that two plus two equals three, but "four" blurted out.

"Very well. When Salazar Slytherin activated the Parseltongue curse on himself and all his children, his real plan was to ensure that his descendants would believe each other's word, no matter what they were speaking about. What kind of conspiracy are you making?" Professor Quirrell returned to his teaching posture when he was teaching combat magic, as if wearing a familiar mask, but the gun in his hand was still pointed at him. "Occlumency can't get past Parseltongue like it can with Veritaserum, and you can try it yourself. Now listen up. [Snake] come with me and promise you all you can do to help me get the stone so I don't It will hurt these children. The hostages are real, and hundreds of students will die tonight unless I cancel the event that has been activated. If I succeed in getting the stone, I will let the hostages go. [Snake Bi] And pay attention to this, Remember: [Snake] I cannot be completely obliterated by means I know, and losing the stone will not prevent my return, nor will it save you or you from my wrath. [Snake Bi] Any reckless behavior you are considering Won't win you the game, boy. I admit you've got a knack for pissing me off, and I suggest you avoid it."

"You said before," Harry's voice sounded strange to his own ears, "that the power of the Philosopher's Stone is not what it is said to be. You told me this in Parseltongue. Before I promise Before you help me, tell me what the stone can really do." If it's something like gaining power over the universe, then there's nothing worth increasing Voldemort's chances of getting the stone.

"Ah," said Professor Quirrell, and then he smiled, "you're thinking. There's progress, and as a reward I'll give you a further incentive to cooperate. Eternal life and youth, making gold and silver. Suppose you get the stone Both of the last benefits are true. Tell me, child. What is the power of stones?"

Perhaps the adrenaline still in the body helped the brain for the first time.Maybe it's the strength he gets from being told the answers do exist, and the proof isn't the lie. "It can make Transfiguration permanent."

Then, the moment he heard what his own mouth had just said, Harry froze.

"Correct," said Professor Quirrell. "Thus, whoever has the Philosopher's Stone can use Transfiguration on humans."

Harry's already divided consciousness was hit hard once more as he discovered what further motivation he had been given.

"You stole Miss Granger's body and transformed it into something seemingly innocuous," said Professor Quirrell. "A thing you have to carry around with you somewhere, in order to maintain Transfiguration. Ah, I see your eyes flicking to the ring on your finger, but of course Miss Granger won't be the little piece on the ring. Jewelry, right? That would be too obvious. No, I think you'd transform Granger's body into the ring itself, and let the magical aura of the transformed jewelry overwhelm the magic of the transformed ring."

"Yes," said Harry, forcing the words out.For once, he was lying, and Harry's glance was deliberate.Harry had expected someone to question his metal ring, and he'd tried to stir up suspicion so he could prove his innocence again, although no one took the bait - maybe Dumbledore just sensed that there was no magic in the metal itself.

"Very well," said Professor Quirrell, "come with me now, and help me get the stone, and I'll resurrect Hermione Granger for you. Her death has had an unfortunate effect on you, and I don't mind erasing the They. From my understanding of you, this is your greatest desire. I have done many good things for you, and I don't mind adding one more." Sprout, with empty eyes, stood up from the ground again, and put He pointed his wand at Harry. "[Snake] help me get the Transfiguration Stone, and I will do my best to help you resurrect your little girl friend and give her real and long life. Still, my patience with you is running out quickly, and you don't Will love what happens next. [Snake Bi]” Hissed last words give the impression of a snake raising its head, ready to pounce.

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even so.

Even so, even though the whole world was being turned upside down, and shocks came one after another—even so, Harry's brain still didn't stop functioning as a brain, and he still pieced together clues skillfully as usual.

Harry knew that was too much of an offer for someone you were pointing a gun at.

Unless you desperately need their help getting the Philosopher's Stone out of the magic mirror.

And there is no time to plan now, only one idea, if Professor Quirrell can really go to this point in order to get his help-what Harry wants is to ask Professor Quirrell to promise not to kill anyone in the future One, in exchange for his present help, but Harry has a strong feeling that Professor Quirrell will reply "don't be funny", there is no time for regular conversation now, Harry needs to guess the maximum security requirements ——

Professor Quirrell's eyes narrowed, he parted his lips—

"If I want to help you," said Harry's mouth, "I want your promise that you won't plan to kill me after this is over. I want you not to kill Professor Snape or Anyone else at Hogwarts. And I want answers, the truth about what happened all this time, everything you know about my nature."

Pale blue eyes stared at him emotionlessly.

I honestly feel like we could have come up with a better request than that, says Harry's Slytherin face, but we're really running out of time, and whatever we need to do next, it's always helpful to have an answer.

Harry wasn't currently listening to the voice.Hearing the words he blurted out to the man with the gun just now, a chill ran down his spine.

"Is this the condition for you to help me get the stone?" Professor Quirrell asked.

Harry nodded, words that could not be woven into words.

"[Snake] agreed to [Snake Bi]," hissed Professor Quirrell, "[Snake] help me so you can get answers to your questions, as long as they are about past events and not about my future plans. I don't mean to use hands or magic on you, as long as you don't use hands or magic on me. I will not kill anyone on the school grounds for a week, unless it is absolutely necessary. Promise now that you will not try to warn others to beware of me or run away. Promise to do your best to help me get the stone. Then your girl friend will be resurrected by me, giving her real life and health; neither I nor my people will try to hurt her. [Snake Bi]" a distorted smile. "[Snake] promise, boy, and the transaction is established [Snake Bi]."

"I promise." Harry murmured.

What?The rest of his brain screamed.

Well, he's still pointing a gun at us, Slytherin pointed out, honestly, we don't have a choice, we're just trying to get as much out of it as we can.

You bastard, said Hufflepuff, do you think that's what Hermione wants?We are talking about Voldemort, do we know how many people he has killed and how many more he will kill in the future?

I deny that we compromised with Voldemort for Hermione's sake, said Slytherin, because, in fact, there's a gun here, and there's nothing we can do to stop him without compromise.Also, mom and dad would want us to just say yes to him and be safe.

Professor Quirrell stared at him without moving. "Repeat the whole promise in Parseltongue, boy."

"[Snake] I'll help you get the stone... I can't promise to do my best, I'm afraid my mind is not on it. I'll try. Not do anything that I think will annoy you without benefit I will not call for help if I think they will be killed by you or cause the death of the hostage. I am sorry, sir, but I can only promise so much. [Snake Bi] "Determination is made, Harry's consciousness is also Settled down and adjusted myself.He'd accompany Professor Quirrell, follow him to get the stone, save the student hostages, and...then...then Harry wouldn't know, except he would keep thinking.

"Are you really sorry?" Professor Quirrell looked amused, "I think so. Then remember two more things: Even if [the snake] shows up in front of us, I have a plan to stop him. [ Snake Bi] And this: I will occasionally ask you in Parseltongue if you have betrayed me. [Snake] The deal is established. [Snake Bi]"

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Then Professor Sprout picked up Harry's wand and wrapped it in a shiny cloth; then she put the wand on the ground and pointed her own at Harry.At this time, Professor Quirrell put down the gun, and the gun disappeared in his hand.Then he picked up Harry's wrapped wand and tucked it into his robes.

The True Invisibility Cloak was removed from the sleeping body of Lysas Lestrange.Professor Quirrell took the Invisibility Cloak, along with Harry's Pocket and Time-Turner.

Professor Quirrell then cast a mass forgetting spell on all the students present, followed by a mass version of the fake memory spell, which would simply fill in the blank memories with their self-suggestions.Afterwards Professor Sprout levitated the sleeping students out, and the look on her face now seemed both angry and ecstatic, as if they had been involved in some herbalistic accident.

Afterwards, Professor Quirrell turned to face the place where the Potions Master was lying, bent down, and placed his wand on Professor Snape's forehead. "For my encouragement."

The Defense Professor took a step back, then began waving the fingers of his left hand in the air as if manipulating a puppet on string.

Professor Snape got up from the ground smoothly and stood in front of the corridor door again.

"Alahoo is open," said Professor Quirrell, pointing his wand at the forbidden door.The Defense Professor seemed to find this rather amusing. "Will you have the honor of doing it for me, child?"

Harry swallowed.He wanted to regret it again, and then regretted it again.

It is strange that a man can do so knowingly; what he is doing is not selfishness, but a deeper error.

But the man behind him was holding a gun; while Harry hesitated, the gun was in his hand again.

Harry put his hand on the doorknob, took a few deep breaths, and regained as much awareness as he could.Keep going, don't get shot, don't let the hostages die, stay here for the best, stay here for the opportunities, and maintain the ability to take advantage of them.It's not a good choice, but other options look worse.

Harry pushed open the forbidden door and walked in.

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1. Riddle can be used as a puzzle solution in English