Chapter 684: Cave

"Why Borgin and Burkes?"

Sean asked accordingly.

"Oh, you don't know this?

Alright, I think, once you enter Hokey's memory, you will see what attraction that place had for him. But this was not Tang Mu Riddle's first choice. At that time, few people knew—I am one of the few people who heard the old headmaster mention this matter.

Tang Mu Riddle first went to Professor Dippet, asking if he could stay at Hogwarts to teach."

Dumbledore seemed to be waiting for something, but Sean didn't speak.

"Do you know what he wanted to teach?"

Dumbledore took a sip of tea.

"Probably not Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Sean thought for a moment and made a small joke at the right time.

Dumbledore smiled:

"I believe he had several reasons, although he didn't tell Professor Dippet a single one."

Dumbledore said,

"First, a very important one is that Tang Mu Riddle had more affection for this school than he did for any individual. Hogwarts was his happiest place, the first place he felt like home, and the only place."

Sean blinked his eyes and didn't speak.

"Of course, if it were you, child, I would be very happy to let you inherit Minerva's position.

It's just that if you want to replace me, you always have to find a place for an old wizard to stay first."

Dumbledore also blinked his eyes,

"Second, this castle is a stronghold of ancient magic; Tang Mu Riddle undoubtedly explored more secrets here than most students, but he might have felt there were still many unsolved mysteries and many magical treasures to be unearthed.

But facts played a little joke on him; the people who control the treasures are always those who don't care about them."

Dumbledore shook his head,

"Third, as a teacher, he could have a great influence on young wizards.

This idea perhaps came from Professor Slughorn, who was the professor he had the best relationship with,

Slughorn made him see how much influence a teacher can exert. I never thought Tang Mu Riddle intended to stay at Hogwarts for a lifetime; I think he viewed this place as a good place to recruit troops, where he could build himself a team."

Sean had already guessed what Dumbledore would say.

He couldn't help but associate it with the biggest club in Hogwarts history.

His thoughts drifted, inexplicably thinking of a strange picture:

Dumbledore standing in the Headmaster's office, facing him:

"Alright, Headmaster Green, when are you planning to overthrow me?"

He quickly shook his head and saw Dumbledore smiling meaningfully.

"Interesting thought...

Later, I was very uneasy about Tang Mu Riddle's choice.

I suggested Armando not hire him—I didn't put forward the reasons I just mentioned because Professor Dippet liked Tang Mu Riddle very much and was deeply convinced of his honesty—but I didn't want Tang Mu Riddle to return to this school, especially to obtain a position with power.

The good news is, Professor Dippet said he was only eighteen, too young, but welcomed him to apply again in two years if he still wanted to teach by then."

Dumbledore narrated slowly.

"So he went to Borgin and Burkes."

Sean always knew how to extend the topic just right.

"That's right. Tang Mu Riddle went to Borgin and Burkes.

All the faculty who appreciated him said it was a pity that such a talented young wizard went to be a shop clerk.

But Tang Mu Riddle wasn't just a shop clerk. Because he was polite, handsome, and smart, he soon got a special job that only places like Borgin and Burkes had.

You know, Sean, this kind of shop specializes in selling items with special properties. Tang Mu Riddle was sent to persuade others to hand over treasures to the shop for sale; it is said that he was particularly good at this."

Dumbledore continued.

"Hmm."

Sean certainly knew that although Tang Mu gradually lost his wisdom after splitting his soul, at that time, Tang Mu was not yet Voldemort.

"Yes,"

Dumbledore said with a weak, slight smile,

"Now it's time to listen to the memory of the house-elf Hokey; her owner was a very old, very wealthy witch named Hepzibah Smith."

Dumbledore tapped a small bottle with his wand, the cork flew out, and he poured the swirling memory into the Pensieve, saying:

"Together, Sean?"

……

They spent a long time, through the memory of the house-elf Hokey, learning that Tang Mu Riddle killed her owner, Hepzibah Smith.

And stole two important items of Hepzibah Smith—a cup and a locket.

Finally, framing the whole thing on the house-elf Hokey.

"Hepzibah Smith passed away."

Dumbledore stood up, as did Sean,

"The Ministry of Magic determined that it was the house-elf Hokey who mistakenly put poison in her mistress's evening cocoa.

When Hokey was convicted, Hepzibah's family discovered that her two most precious treasures had been lost."

Dumbledore's words carried melancholy,

"The Ministry of Magic spent some time determining this matter because she had many secret treasure locations and always watched her collection particularly strictly.

And by the time they determined that the cup and the locket were both gone, the clerk from Borgin and Burkes, that young man who often visited Hepzibah and was so good at pleasing her, had already resigned and disappeared.

His boss didn't know his whereabouts either; they felt surprised just like everyone else. Tang Mu Riddle disappeared for a long time."

"But you found something."

Sean said somewhat firmly.

"Of course—"

Dumbledore smiled.

"You must have seen it too; this time he wasn't for revenge, but for profit. He wanted those two strange treasures that the poor old lady showed him. Just like he grabbed things from other children at the orphanage, just like he stole his uncle's ring, this time he stole Hepzibah's cup and locket...

Go for a walk?"

They left the castle and walked onto the path shrouded in twilight.

The rain fell as fast as their footsteps; when they arrived at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the rain had already fallen completely.

The lights were flashing in the windows of Hogwarts, and they just walked like this.

When Hogwarts is fast asleep, there are always wizards who need to be awake.

"I can't be sure which one it's hidden in—but I believe it will be in a cave by the distant seaside, a cave I have searched for for a long time.

In the last memory, Tang Mu Riddle once intimidated two orphans during the orphanage's annual trip in that cave, do you remember?"

Dumbledore stepped on the grass and said.

Sean knew the news he was waiting for had arrived. ===== CHAPTER 685 =====