Chapter 183

Regarding things like "Tom's birth was the product of a Love Potion, so he cannot perceive love," Murphy does not believe it.

Are all children in this world born as products of love? No, right?

And, is every union of men and women because of love? No, right?

There are also women who do IVF alone; how does that count?

The reason why Tom Riddle became Voldemort and why he doesn't understand "love," in Murphy's view, is only one reason: he has never truly felt love, and no one has ever truly loved him.

Love is not some innate gift, but a skill, a technique, just like eating, drinking, and walking; it is an ability that needs to be acquired later in life.

Growing up in an environment lacking love, it is very normal for Tom not to understand the skills of love.

On the contrary, Harry in the original work is incredibly resilient; in such a growth environment, he still maintained the spark in his heart; in a sense, he is indeed stronger than Tom.

Murphy has a plan for Tom; besides achieving some goals, it also has certain experimental purposes; he also really wants to know what kind of power this "most powerful magic" mentioned by Dumbledore actually has.

……

Diagon Alley.

Hermione vomited until she was dizzy, feeling like she was about to die.

For an eleven-year-old child, Apparition is still too stimulating.

This time Murphy gave her a bottle of Invigoration Draught, and let her drink it.

This thing is similar to a Pepperup Potion and can restore some abnormal states of the body.

On the contrary, Tom seemed to have no reaction.

His body was actually already dead; it was just that Murphy used the Seed of Soul to nail it together with Tom's soul, and used some Black Magic to activate the body's heartbeat, breathing, and other systems. Its brain only had electrical reactions similar to those in a coma state; it was just a vegetable driven by Tom's soul.

After a while, Hermione's spirit finally recovered, and Murphy took the two children to Gringotts first to handle a student loan for Tom.

Then he took them to buy a cauldron, dragon-hide gloves, books, and other things for Tom; of course, most of them were second-hand.

Watching Tom carefully counting the coins in his hand and calculating meticulously, Murphy couldn't help but feel a bit emotional; he was also very poor when he was in school, and that's how he got by.

So when he saw the owner of the second-hand cauldron shop preparing to sell an old cauldron to Tom for one Galleon, he couldn't help it.

"Boss, your cauldron is dented, and it can't be folded, plus the black ash here; it's clear it's been used for at least three years, and you dare to ask for such a high price? Three Sickles, no more."

Protective gear shop, "The cotton inside the gloves is almost exposed, and there's a hole burned here; four Sickles at most."

Bookstore, "A set of textbooks for one Galleon? Why don't you go rob someone; these aren't new books! The condition is good, right? Fine, we'll pick them ourselves."

"Look, this one has no cover, this one's corners are chewed, this one is yellowed; plus this parchment and pen, 9 Sickles in total, are you selling or not?"

Coming out of the second-hand bookstore, Murphy found a place to sit down, asked for those worn-out books, and began to process them.

While processing, he taught Tom, "This kind of yellowed and old book is not damaged, just dirty; you can remove most of the mildew spots with Scourgify, then take it to dry, and some stubborn stains can be tried with alcohol or bright cleaning agent; basically, they can be restored to 70-80%."

"This kind without a cover is the easiest to handle; just make one yourself."

He said, using his wand to cut the parchment to the appropriate size, wrapped it around the textbook without a cover, then pointed with his wand, transformed an exquisite cover pattern, and stuck it on the book.

"This kind with missing corners, the damage is not big, and it doesn't affect use."

He said, using his wand to cut the damaged corners into arcs; they looked rounded and neat, and didn't look abrupt.

After everything was processed, the old books didn't look so old anymore; instead, they had a unique exquisiteness.

Then he processed the gloves and cauldron again, making them restore their functions while also looking much more comfortable.

Hermione was amazed, "Too amazing, these things look like new, and only one Galleon! I spent thirteen Galleons!"

"No way, poor children take charge early." Murphy smiled, "If you don't learn to be meticulous, you can't live."

"Were you also... poor?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, very poor. Like Tom, I was an orphan; my parents were Black Wizards who died in prison and didn't leave any money. At that time, my personality was also a bit awkward and not very flexible, so I was always very poor and lived quite tightly."

Tom glanced at the expensive-looking outfit Murphy was wearing, and then thought about the respectful attitude of those goblins at Gringotts towards Murphy; it was hard to imagine that he was once a poor child too.

"Alright, let's go buy school uniforms and wands." Murphy didn't say much more and took the two to a second-hand robe shop.

They bought two robes that fit, but there wasn't a suitable one left for the third set; Tom wanted to buy the remaining set that was much larger in size, but Murphy stopped him, "You should have enough money left; go to Madam Malkin's and have one custom-made."

"But, that would cost a lot of money."

"Books and cauldrons are for use, so it doesn't matter if they are worn out. But clothes, besides being comfortable to wear, are also for people to see. Dressing sloppily will always make people look down on you. This isn't vanity, just saving yourself more energy to focus on more important things."

"Finally, the wand."

Murphy was just about to take them to Ollivander's, but through a crow he had placed at a high point in Diagon Alley, he saw two people and heard their conversation.

"Eh?"

"What's wrong, Professor?"

"Oh, nothing, let's go."

But at this moment, Tom suddenly felt something in his heart.

He made an excuse that he forgot something in the fitting room and went back, opened the diary he carried with him.

He saw the text on it update.

"Diagon Alley trip, I learned many principles from Professor Murphy."

"But what makes me even happier is that at Ollivander's Wand Shop, I met a lifelong friend."

"We have amazing similarities; our souls resonate and attract each other; he will become my most loyal friend and most reliable partner."

Tom frowned; before it said he was the person who changed his destiny, today it's a lifelong friend.

Why does this diary feel like a big scam?

But just as he thought this, the diary updated again.

"But I don't believe in the arrangements of destiny, so I deliberately delayed time and dawdled for a long time before going to the wand shop. I bought the wand as I wished."

"It was a beautiful morning; I was practicing the Reducto spell, when suddenly the wand snapped in the middle, the spell backfired and hit me."

"I died."

"Before I died, I shed tears of regret; if..."

Fine, fine, fine, I'll go, I'll go, okay?

Tom was also curious in his heart; who exactly is that lifelong friend mentioned in the diary?

In a short while, Murphy took the two children to Ollivander's Wand Shop.

Just as he walked into the shop, someone walked in behind him; Murphy took a look, "Sirius? Why are you here?"

"Oh, I took Harry to Egypt for a trip before, and only came back yesterday; I sent him to school today and just remembered I hadn't bought him a wand yet."

"Hello, Mr. Darkholm." Harry Potter, who was following Sirius, also saw Murphy and greeted him.

But at this moment, suddenly his forehead felt numb and itchy; he touched the scar on his forehead, and then looked at a boy beside Murphy.

And the other party also saw him.

In an instant, Tom was certain that what the diary said was this boy.

The same thought surfaced in both their minds.

"Who is he?"

"How come I seem to have seen him somewhere?"

(End of chapter)