The wheelchair-bound warrior is speedrunning Hogwarts.

Even when he asked the Hufflepuff in front of him, the other party kept going in circles and never gave him a straight answer.

If he hadn't been able to see the person in front of him through the diary, he would have almost thought that this was an experienced Auror-level wizard sent by Dumbledore to try and extract information from him.

But so much time has passed, and the daily conversations with her have been draining his own energy...

Tom was really losing his temper.

He worried that if things continued like this, his strength would be exhausted first, and he was even more worried that this girl, who had always been aloof, would one day leave him alone in this deserted room.

Therefore, we must come up with something enticing.

Of course, if Vera could hear his innermost thoughts at this moment, she would probably scoff and tell him a lesson—

Sunk costs are not involved in major decisions.

The best way is actually for Tom to completely ignore her, not respond to her words, and not answer her questions, thus conserving his energy until the next person comes along to open it...

Oh, in that case, Vera will just burn him to ashes with a burst of fire.

It doesn't seem to be a good thing for him either.

Indeed, this whole thing has to be blamed on Lucius for littering.

But even now, Tom is still trying his best to persuade her to stay: "Perhaps... there's another way!"

His handwriting revealed an unprecedented urgency, and the ink even blurred somewhat.

“I have some ancient knowledge preserved in my memory… which may be able to bypass the limitations of bloodline… We can study it together.”

Looking at the words in front of her, Vera could already feel the greed emanating from the depths of that cold soul.

He tried to seduce her with power, to establish a deeper connection, in order to erode and control her.

But now that she has the blessing of Hogwarts, she is not afraid of this level of seduction.

“That sounds dangerous,” Vera replied cautiously, her pen tip showing just the right amount of hesitation. “Besides, I don’t know much about dark magic.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Sail,” Tom’s tone immediately became incredibly sincere and gentle. “I can guide you. Knowledge itself is neither good nor evil; the key is how you use it.”

Imagine if we could actually work together to uncover one of Hogwarts' oldest secrets…

His words were persuasive, painting a beautiful picture of exploring together, discovering treasures, and making a name for ourselves in history.

Vera remained silent for a moment, as if she were thinking seriously.

She then wrote, "I need time to think about it; this sounds... a bit more than I imagined."

“Of course, caution is a virtue.” Tom’s response was quick, but Vera could almost feel his barely suppressed excitement through the paper. “I look forward to your good news, Miss Sail.”

Vera closed her diary, leaned back in her wheelchair, and let out a long sigh of relief.

A locked room… a basilisk… we’re finally getting close to the heart of the problem.

But she won't agree immediately.

By keeping Tom hanging on, forcing him to continuously expend the Horcrux's power to maintain this inefficient communication, she could also buy herself more time to prepare.

Over the next few days, Vera deliberately reduced her contact with the diary, engaging in only brief, innocuous conversations each time, and displaying a mixture of curiosity and hesitation regarding his proposal.

She sensed that Tom's anxiety was growing day by day. Occasionally, a hint of impatience would slip between the lines, but he would quickly suppress it and put on his gentle and patient mask again.

During this period, Vera began to devote more of her energy to research on the basilisk and the secret chamber.

She began to frequent the library more often, tirelessly searching for forgotten classics deep within the dusty bookshelves.

About the Basilisk, about Salazar Slytherin, about the secrets of the early days of Hogwarts Castle.

Of course, this was also to prepare her for facing the basilisk monster in the future.

Hermione noticed her frequent solo actions and occasional signs of fatigue, but assumed she was engaged in some kind of advanced magical research—something not uncommon for Vera.

She thoughtfully didn't ask any questions, but would leave a light on and a warm glass of milk for Vera when she returned to her dorm late at night.

Harley, however, was completely absorbed in Quidditch training and homework and was oblivious to anything amiss.

The days passed peacefully in class, homework, secret research, and the occasional dalliance with the diary.

October arrived, and a damp chill permeated the grounds and seeped into the castle.

A sudden flu outbreak occurred among faculty and students, leaving Ms. Pomfrey scrambling to cope.

Unfortunately, Vera also developed some cold symptoms.

She suspected that her frequent contact with the diary, although blessed by Hogwarts and not affected by it mentally, inevitably affected her body.

In addition, her frequent late nights studying during this period led to a weakened immune system, which caused her to catch a cold.

Her face was paler than usual, and she occasionally couldn't help but cough softly. After a full day of classes, she felt a bit sluggish and her throat was extremely dry.

After dinner, she not only ate very little, but she also made Harley Hermione, who was sitting next to her, quite nervous.

After dinner, Vera wanted to go straight back to her dorm to rest, but Harley and Hermione "kidnapped" her and took her to the school hospital.

After examining her, Mrs. Pomfrey frowned. "Miss Black, you have a slight fever. You need to rest well and not overexert yourself."

Without waiting for a reply, she poured out a small bottle of energy drink. "Drink this, then go back to your dorm and sleep. If your fever doesn't go down by tomorrow, you have to come and report to me."

The medicine had a pungent smell, and the feeling of smoke rising from the top of one's head after drinking it was unpleasant, but the warm current that entered the mouth did quickly dispel some of the chill and dizziness.

Vera was escorted back to the Gryffindor Tower under the close protection of her two friends. Along the way, Harry and Hermione took turns giving her instructions, as if she had suddenly become a troublesome child.

"No more reading tonight!" Harley announced sternly, practically shoving Vera into bed.

Hermione thoughtfully tucked her in, her eyes full of worry: "Just call me if you need anything, I'm always here."

Knox lightly leaped onto the foot of the bed and perched there, his amber eyes watching her in the dim light like a tiny guard.

Vera felt a warmth in her heart, and nodded helplessly and obediently: "I know, you should all go and rest too."

Even though she was very tired because of her cold, she still couldn't sleep well due to the effects of the energy booster.

She felt as if she were floating in a mist of icy cold and fiery heat, surrounded by distorted light and shadow and indistinct whispers.

The black diary spun in her dream, the imprint on its cover watching her like eyes.

Tom Riddle's elegant cursive handwriting was like a venomous snake, coiling around her thoughts and trying to burrow into her mind, but it was always blocked by a layer of warm and resilient golden light.

“…Unleash…the true power…” A hoarse, seductive voice appeared intermittently.

She struggled, trying to break free, but felt her body was heavy.

Just as the whispers grew clearer, the barrier of golden light blazed brighter, attempting to confront them head-on—

"Meow!"

A clear, disgruntled meow pierced through the dream's mist.

Knox appeared at her pillow from the foot of the bed, his furry tail brushing against her cheek, providing a real tactile sensation.

Those amber eyes stared at her closely in the darkness, a flicker of discontent seemingly burning within them, as if blaming something for disturbing their sleep, and for disturbing hers as well.

The cold whisper vanished instantly, like mist exposed to sunlight.

Vera gasped for breath, jolting awake from her chaotic dream.

My heart was pounding in my chest, and a fine layer of cold sweat beaded on my forehead.

The moonlight was bright outside the window, and the dormitory was quiet except for the even, steady breathing of Hermione and Harley.

When Knox saw that she was awake, he nuzzled her chin with his head and made a soft purring sound, while the tip of his tail gently curled around her wrist.

"Meow." It meowed softly again, as if to check on her condition.

Vera slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, raised her hand to touch Knox's warm fur, her fingertips trembling slightly.

The lingering fear from the dream hadn't completely dissipated; the feeling of being spied on and entangled by a cold consciousness felt incredibly real.

Knox woke her up.

Or rather, it was Knox who dispelled the nightmare stemming from the Horcrux's influence.

She held Knox in her arms, and the cat nestled obediently against her chest. Its warm weight and regular purring were like the best calming medicine.

"Thank you, Knox," she murmured, burying her face in the cat's soft, fluffy fur, feeling its real warmth.

Knox made a louder gurgling sound in his throat, and the tip of his tail lightly brushed against her nose, as if to say, "Good to know."

Vera hugged the cat, lay back down on the pillow, and her racing heart gradually calmed down.

She opened her eyes and gazed at the deep red curtains above the four-poster bed, her thoughts gradually becoming clearer.

Ironically, the Horcruxes are still trying to influence her, only to be kept at bay by the blessing of Hogwarts.

This can't go on any longer.

The negative effects of frequent contact with Horcruxes have begun to appear. Despite the protection of Hogwarts, her body and mind are clearly under pressure.

Tom Riddell had clearly lost patience, and his seductions and probing became increasingly blatant.

This illness might have been orchestrated by him, trying to take advantage of her weakened state to invade her mind.

She needs to speed things up, or... abandon the plan to obtain information about the secret room through the diary altogether and choose a more direct, but also more dangerous, approach.

Several thoughts flashed through her mind, but she rejected them one by one.

Directly interrogating Tom is too risky; it could cause him to completely shut down information or even resort to desperate measures.

Forcibly breaking through the diary's magical protection? With her current strength, the success rate is low, and it could easily lead to unpredictable consequences.

Perhaps… we could try a different approach. Since Tom so desperately craves a host, so eager to see the light of day again, could she perhaps use a carefully crafted trap to lure him into revealing more secrets?

A rough outline of a plan slowly took shape in her mind.

The risks are high, but the rewards can also be extremely high.

Moreover, the timing is just right.

Just then, she heard a rustling sound coming from the quiet dormitory.

Vera turned her head and saw Hermione had already quietly gotten out of bed, using the moonlight streaming in from the window to fumble for a glass of water, and then carrying the glass towards her.

"Vera?" Hermione's voice was very low, filled with sleepiness and worry. "Are you awake? I think I heard something coming from your side... Are you still feeling unwell?"

She walked to Vera's bedside, placed the water glass on the bedside table, and naturally reached out her other hand to Vera's forehead.

The girl touched her even hotter skin with her warm fingertips, and her brows immediately furrowed:

"It still seems a bit hot... Should we go to the school clinic again?"

Vera shook her head, took a sip of water from Hermione's hand, and the warm water soothed her dry throat, making her feel much better.

"No need, it was just a nightmare, I'm much better now." Her voice was still a little hoarse.

Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed, her brown eyes filled with worry: "You've been working too hard lately. I don't know what you've been researching, but... can't we put it aside for now?"

"We'll have some progress soon," Vera replied softly, without offering further explanation.

Looking at Hermione's face, which appeared exceptionally gentle in the moonlight, the chill that had arisen from the nightmare gradually dissipated. "Did I wake you up?"

"No, I just got up to get some water." Hermione shook her head and gently brushed the damp silver hair from her cheek. "Go to sleep. I'll stay here with you for a while and then go to sleep."

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Vera did not refuse again.

She lay back down, closed her eyes, and felt Hermione gently patting her back to comfort her.

Knox curled up into a warm ball of fur beside her pillow, snoring softly and steadily.

Their presence was like a solid barrier, completely shutting out those cold probing and whispers.

This time, she drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The next morning, the morning sunlight streamed through the dormitory window, casting a pale golden glow on Vera's pale cheeks.

When she opened her eyes, she felt much better; the drowsiness in her brain had subsided, but the dryness in her throat and the weakness in her body were still obvious.

Hermione and Harley had already woken up and were quietly packing their things, careful not to wake her.

"How are you feeling?" As soon as Harley noticed she was awake, she immediately went to the bedside, her green eyes full of concern.

"Much better." Vera propped herself up on her arms and sat up. Her voice was still a little hoarse, but much better than last night. "Thank you for taking care of me."

“Mrs. Pomfrey’s energy drink is quite effective.” Hermione handed her a glass of warm water. “But you’d better get some rest. Luckily, you only have one class today.”

"Okay, I promise I'll get some rest," Vera said softly, taking the warm water Hermione offered and sipping it as she felt the water soothe her aching throat.

At breakfast, she only wanted some oatmeal, but Harley and Hermione watched her like dragons guarding a treasure, urging her to eat an extra half portion of steak.

She was drowsy during the morning history of magic class, and Professor Binns's flat, emotionless voice was like the best lullaby.