manynovel Chapter 271 The Mystery of the Diary and Karen's Verification
Chapter 271 The Mystery of the Diary and Karen's Verification
Chapter 271 The Mystery of the Diary and Karen's Verification
Saturday morning, the sky cleared. Karen remained alone at the Eagle's Nest. Instead of continuing his Parsley practice, he took out his dark diary once more.
The workshop's inner protective layer quietly opened, blocking all prying eyes. Karen placed the diary on a specially made platform, staring at it expressionlessly. It was time to move on to the next step.
He didn't press him with Fiery Flame as usual, nor did he bring up anything about Parsleyan or the secrets of Hogwarts. He simply picked up a quill, dipped it in ink, and wrote a sentence on the blank page that was completely different from before:
I've recently had some new thoughts on the synergistic effect of the "Guardian" and "Purify" runes in ancient runes, especially regarding combating the corruption of dark magic. Have you done any research on this?
The ink was slowly absorbed. Tom Riddle at the other end of the diary was clearly stunned. No new words appeared on the page for a long time.
Karen could imagine Karen's current confusion. In their last exchange, he had clearly shown a keen interest in Parsleyan and the Slytherin legacy; that greedy, studious image should have been established, and it was the perfect time to strike while the iron was hot and further entice him. Why the sudden change of heart, suddenly studying runes like "Guardian" and "Purify"—runes that sounded so "light"? This completely contradicted the carefully crafted persona he had created for Karen: a "pursuer of powerful dark magic."
After a long while, new handwriting slowly emerged, carrying a deliberately crafted, polite, and inquisitive tone:
[Protection and purification? An interesting turn of events. The power of the ancient runes is profound and vast, and its combinations are infinitely varied.]
I have indeed dabbled in some of these. However, I recall you seemed more interested in more tangible, ancient powers? Like those legacies from the castle's history that require specific keys to unlock? Those seem to directly enhance a wizard's abilities more.
He was trying to steer the conversation back onto his pre-set path.
Karen smiled inwardly upon seeing Riddle's words, then continued writing:
Knowledge knows no bounds. Improving Defense Against the Dark Arts is equally important. Moreover, true power lies in a comprehensive understanding, not in a narrow one. Those legendary legacies may be alluring, but they are too abstract and ethereal; it's better to solidify the foundation first.
He even hinted at a hint of impatience and skepticism regarding the "heritage" topic he had previously been interested in between the lines.
The diary fell silent again. Karen could almost feel Tom Riddle's furrowed brow and rapid thought on the other end.
Why isn't this prey playing by the rules? Did he discover something? Or is it simply because the young man's interests have shifted?
No, not at all. Karen had always struck him as self-assured and extremely eager for knowledge. This sudden shift must have a reason.
Riddle had no idea that Cullen had already mastered the basics of Parsley through another means and was setting a trap for him. He could only conclude that his temptations weren't strong enough, or that Cullen had encountered something that distracted him, causing his enthusiasm for exploring the castle's secrets to temporarily cool down.
This is bad. If Karen loses interest and stops initiating contact, his trap will be wasted. He must throw out a more enticing bait—one that immediately sparks Karen's curiosity and clearly points to a problem that requires Parsley's tongue to solve! He needs to present Karen with a tangible, visible yet intangible obstacle, causing her to become anxious and turn back to him for help. Only then can he regain the initiative and break down Karen's defenses.
New handwriting emerged, faster than before, with a persuasive, secret-sharing tone:
While a solid foundation is important, combining theory with practice leads to faster growth. You're right, knowledge knows no boundaries.
Coincidentally, I recently recalled some interesting details that might add some practical enjoyment to your otherwise tedious research.
He started telling stories, which was one of his specialties.
[As you know, Salazar Slytherin was not only a great wizard, but also a master of combining architecture and magic. Hogwarts Castle itself hides many of his ingenious designs. Some of these designs were not for hiding treasure, but rather for—observation, or guidance.]
The handwriting pauses here, seemingly to create an air of mystery.
For example, on the northeast shore of Black Lake, near the rugged reef area underwater, there is said to be a special serpentine stone.
Its patterns resonate wondrously with the magical currents beneath the lake on the night of the full moon, revealing guiding symbols—perhaps related to an ancient waterway beneath the castle.
Another pause.
For example, at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, near the Willow of the Beating Man, there stands an extremely ancient ash tree with a peculiar dent at its base, as if carved by a tremendous force. The inner walls of that dent are inscribed with extremely ancient runes, though most are now blurred. I suspect it was once a small magical node, or—an observation post requiring a specific password to open? It is said that certain sound frequencies can activate those remaining runes, briefly revealing images of the past—about the castle's defenses? Or something else?
Riddle described it vividly and in great detail, as if he had seen it with his own eyes. Both locations he provided were quite intriguing, and both subtly hinted that they required a "special method" to unlock. He didn't explicitly mention Parsleyan, but he was confident that Karen, with her intelligence and previous interest in unusual sounds, would easily make the connection.
He was casting bait, hoping Karen would take the bait. Once Karen went to these places and discovered peculiar magical traces that couldn't be deciphered using conventional methods, she would inevitably become impatient and return to him, her "learned sixteen-year-old senior," for answers. Then, he could conveniently offer to teach Parseltongue, and thus—
Karen glanced at the words appearing in the diary, a barely perceptible, cold smile playing on her lips. The fish was indeed getting impatient, throwing out more specific locations that required a "key." The serpentine stone on the northeast shore of Black Lake? The ancient runic indentation beneath the ash trees at the edge of the Forbidden Forest? And it needed a special sound to activate it?
This information is likely a mixture of truth and falsehood. The truth lies in the possibility that these locations may indeed contain traces of Slytherin magic, enough to pique Cullen's interest and allow him to verify their authenticity. The falsehood lies in the fact that their importance and activation methods have certainly been exaggerated or distorted by Riddle, with the aim of luring him there only to be thwarted.
But that's exactly what Karen wanted.
He deliberately delayed a moment, his writing appearing somewhat hesitant:
[Sounds interesting. But Black Lake and the edge of the Forbidden Forest—that seems a bit adventurous. And, aren't they just vague legends?]
]
Riddle responded immediately, his handwriting revealing a hint of urgency:
Adventure always comes with rewards. With your abilities, cautiously exploring these outer areas shouldn't be a problem. As for the legends—" the handwriting here becomes more meaningful, "Often, legends are just forgotten history. Isn't the joy of research precisely in verifying them yourself? Perhaps you'll make unexpected discoveries. After all, Hogwarts is never short of surprises."
Karen stopped short of questioning further and instead appeared to be persuaded.
Okay, maybe you're right. I'll go check it out when I have the chance. Thanks for the message.
He ended the call without much enthusiasm, maintaining a "let's give it a try" attitude. Then he sealed the diary away again.
The plan was going smoothly. The two locations provided by Riddle were perfect for verifying whether the Parsley technique he had just learned was effective against those objects, and how much truth there was in Riddle's words. He didn't even need to completely decipher it; he only needed to confirm whether those locations contained magical mechanisms that required Parsley activation.
If verified, it not only proves that Riddle's "knowledge base" still has value in uncovering Hogwarts secrets, but more importantly, it provides ample reason and direction for his next move—either to continue extracting more information from Riddle or to bring the diary to Nico and Castor for "deep processing" after the term ends.
"Northeast shore of Black Lake—ancient ash trees—" Karen walked to the window of Eagle's Nest, looking out at the shimmering Black Lake and the deep Forbidden Forest in the distance, already planning the exploration route and exploration plan in her mind.