Struggling to survive at Hogwarts

Chapter 291 Behind the Door

Since Thea came into this world, she has opened many doors.

From the very first dean's office to her final office at the Riddle mansion, Thea couldn't remember the details anymore.

However, one thing is certain: none of these doors gave her as much... goosebumps as the one in front of her.

It was a very ordinary door, no different from the other doors in the Riddle mansion, except that it couldn't hide the bitter smell of potions emanating from it.

Thea has already sent everyone away from the old house.

There weren't many people here to begin with, and after Thea gave a few instructions, those people rushed out.

Thea walked slowly from her office to this mysterious room.

She walked at a snail's pace, and after deciding to open the door, she breathed a long-awaited sigh of relief, and at the same time had the mood to carefully examine the old house.

To be honest, apart from the skulls hanging from the highest ceiling all the way down to the first floor, the retro yet romantic style of this old house really suited Thea's taste.

I heard that Voldemort had these skulls put on him...

This aesthetic is really...tsk tsk tsk.

Even the longest road has an end. Before Thea could react, she was already standing in front of the door.

Without much hesitation, Thea pushed open the door.

Surprisingly easy.

If it weren't for the abundance of potion ingredients and the eerie metallic glow throughout the room, Thea would have thought it was a trap.

—This is indeed a trap.

"Thea...you are very smart."

The affected, "aristocratic" aria, like a venomous snake, creeps up Thea's body. The cold, sticky sensation begins at her toes and gradually ascends, as if a real venomous snake is flicking its tongue, inch by inch climbing up her skin.

The chill of autumn seemed to reach its peak at this moment, and Thea felt as if ice was forming even between her bones.

She stood frozen in place, her molars almost crushed, and the faint taste of blood in her throat made her nauseous.

In the cold light, the venomous snake slowly climbed up the back of her neck.

It was as cold as ice.

"Thea, you are a smart child."

Thea's eyes were fixed, as if she were a wooden stake.

But Voldemort was well aware of the receptiveness of his most perfect creation, so he bowed slightly until his lips were only a finger's width away from his earlobe.

He spoke softly, as if a venomous snake were slithering through the air.

"So, could you lend me some blood?"

The venomous snake bit her neck.

She had no way out.

------

Thea has not been able to fall asleep normally for a long time.

The long-term mental tension has caused her to have an inability to relax easily. Even though she was exhausted during the day, she couldn't bring her thoughts back to her mind while lying in bed.

It's like a severely worn-out computer being overloaded again; even a belated rest couldn't revive it.

"call--"

She exhaled a heavy breath and forced her aimless thoughts back into her mind, but the fragments of nightmares that filled her mind delayed this process.

After a while, Thea gently moved her fingers, but the slight movement aggravated the wound on her wrist.

It wasn't until the pain hit that Thea belatedly realized—it wasn't a dream after all.

The pain stimulated Thea's brain, and fragmented memories gradually resurfaced.

The cold metal mixed with bright red roses was dazzling and suffocating.

After seeing the furnishings in the room, Thea knew everything.

She couldn't describe her emotions; she felt as if her head had been smashed by a sledgehammer. The belated truth chilled her to the bone, but strangely, Thea also felt a strange sense of exhilaration.

So this is ah.

No wonder Bella's attitude towards her was unusual, unlike that of a mother and daughter.

No wonder Voldemort's expression was so strange when she was injured.

No wonder Voldemort gave her that mocking smile, laughing at their "deep mother-daughter bond".

No wonder Voldemort was never worried about her seizing power. Even though he knew she was building up her faction, he simply raised his hand high and then let it fall gently.

No wonder…………

After learning the truth, all of Thea's previous confusion was resolved.

At the same time, an almost invisible yet subtle pain blossomed in Thea's heart.

It turns out I did believe him.

Even though the main reason was to gain his trust, I still gave him the wand!

I gave him the wand!

It's like I gave him half my life!

But he still wouldn't let me go...

Do I really have to give him back the rest of my life?!

Intense anger and resentment revitalized Thea.

She lay stiffly on the bed, but her brain was working at an unprecedented speed.

She could no longer wait for things to settle down, nor could she place all her hopes for salvation on Potter.

This world already has her as a variable, and who knows what other variables might emerge in the future.

She only has one life, and there's no room for so many variables.

Voldemort can take her blood today!

We can get her flesh tomorrow!!

They'll take her life the day after tomorrow!

She held both sides in the past because she still had a sliver of hope that Voldemort would win. After all, who wouldn't want to stand at the pinnacle of power and look down on the world with a smile?

In other words, because she knew who the final victor would be, but worried that the protagonist's halo wasn't omnipotent, coupled with the natural alliance of Death Eaters and the vigilance of Dumbledore and others.

Various reasons have caused her stance to waver.

But ultimately, she had only one purpose—to live.

Based on this objective, she has the capital to waver.

But it's different now.

Voldemort's existence directly threatened her life.

Only one of them can live.