Chapter 22
6th year got started with a crawl for Hermione and Harry, Ron Weasley immediately started trying to get back into their good graces but was coldly and politely shut down in the Hogwarts Express due to his continued defence of Albus Dumbledore. Both Harry and Hermione assumed Ron simply didn't want to lose the friendship of the "boy-who-lived" but Severus informed them a few days later that the boy had been inducted in the Order and given the task of spying on them by Albus Dumbledore, who even though he was losing support in the fight against Voldemort, still retained part of the Weasley family and a few loyal members as well.
Due to Ron's official task, he never stopped trying to regain the friendship and trust of Harry and Hermione, but mainly Harry as he considered Hermione didn't really matter for his plans, or at all really. However, despite Harry being historically quick to forgive his first friend, Ron was not subtle or patient and this time it wouldn't work.
Thanks to Remus and Sirius, they knew what Dumbledore was up to in terms of the Order, but as he was no longer headmaster, the portrait of Phineas Gage couldn't give them anything anymore.
As Hermione and Harry came in the Great Hall, they sat at Gryffindor table and waited for the new announcements, but even they could notice the tense atmosphere at the staff table. Despite Minerva McGonagall being the deputy Headmistress for years, she had been passed for the post of Headmaster in favour of Severus Snape, who was not trusted fully due to his dubious allegiance to the Order and the Death eaters. Therefore, Professor McGonagall remained frosty and almost defiant at times, even though she had lost faith in Dumbledore before he was able asked to leave.
The Boy Who Lived Speaks Up!
Rita Skeeter
This reported has been able to snag a one in a lifetime exclusive interview with none other than Harry Potter!
Harry Potter has finally broken his silence about the traumatic events of his past. After the tragic deaths of his parents, the Potters' Will was sealed by the Chief Warlock (Albus Dumbledore) and the boy was placed with his mother's muggle aunt, her husband and young son, the Dursleys. Harry revealed the extent of his suffering. "I was locked in a cupboard under the stairs for years, treated worse than a house-elf," he confessed. "Dumbledore placed me there, knowing full well what kind of people they were. He claimed it was for my protection, but I can't help but wonder if there was another motive." Young Harry added that his first Hogwarts' letters (yes multiple letters! His guardians would not let him open them) was addressed to "The cupboard under the stairs", clarifying that Albus Dumbledore knew full well the treatment Harry Potter received at the hands of his relatives.
These startling revelations bring into question the late Headmaster's judgment and his true intentions. Was Dumbledore's decision really in Harry's best interest, or was there something more sinister at play?
Mr. Potter adds that when questioned, Albus Dumbledore told him he had a Squib friend looking over him, so clearly he was well protected and nothing bad was happening to him. If the claim of a Squib "watcher" is true, then surely it only emphasise that Albus Dumbledore knew exactly the extent of Harry's suffering.
Lord Black, the young Harry's godfather, had this to add: "When I was finally cleared and able to take in my godson, I went to look at his childhood and was horrified. I wondered how no one noticed? I checked both Muggle and Magical child welfare services, and Harry Potter was never mentioned anywhere. Which raises even more questions you know, a file in Magic child welfare would have been made for an orphan, so why was it blocked? According to law, only the Chief Warlock has that power..."
Harry Potter also raised unsettling questions about the night his parents, Lily and James Potter, were murdered by Lord Voldemort. "Dumbledore knew so much, yet he left so many questions unanswered and never explained to me or anyone how he knew with certainty what happened that night. Why were my parents' lives taken so easily? What really happened that night?" he mused, his eyes clouded with unresolved grief.
As Harry Potter delves into his past, the wizarding world awaits with bated breath to see what other revelations might come to light.
When asked for a comment, Albus Dumbledore refused all communication.
Gellert Grindelwald adds final nail in Dumbledore's coffin!
Rita Skeeter
My dears readers, I have received the most interesting letter from Gellert Grindelwald himself! Ex-lover of Albus Dumbledore, Dark Arts expert and would-be world emperor.
Grindelwald accuses Dumbledore of a litany of dark deeds, including the shocking claim that Dumbledore himself was responsible for the death of his sister, Ariana. "Dumbledore has always been shrouded in mystery, and not all of it benevolent," Grindelwald stated. "He killed his own sister in a fit of rage, and the wizarding world has been blinded by his false nobility ever since. He accused me of the deed, but I know who sent the lethal spell, I already warned him I could out him if he continued. I'm scared his obsessions will be his end."
Grindelwald also suggested that Dumbledore's obsession with the Deathly Hallows was more than a youthful infatuation. "He was seduced by the power they promised. He saw Harry Potter, a descendant of the Peverell line, as a means to fulfil his own ambitions," Grindelwald revealed. "Why else would he focus so intently on the boy?"
Another shocking declaration followed, "I had the Elder wand when he defeated me in 1945, he could have killed me and I would have deserved it for what I did but he only disarmed me, so he could take the wand and be heralded as a hero. That's one Hallow he already has. I assume the Potter line, descending from Ignotus Peverell, likely has the invisibility cloak. Getting close to the Potter boy, being a mentor and the only one he can fully trust, well it makes it easy to get a second Hallow."
But perhaps the most staggering of Grindelwald's assertions is his insinuation that Voldemort, the Dark Lord who terrorized the wizarding world, might not be what we believe. "Have you ever wondered if Voldemort is as real as he seems?" Grindelwald asked in his letter, "Or could he be a construct, a puppet created by Dumbledore to rally support and manipulate events from behind the scenes? Nothing is known about the mean behind the man, and I know Albus has claimed to know exactly who he was but he never told anyone, has he?"
These claims, if true, would upend everything we know about the history of our world and its greatest heroes and villains. The suggestion that Dumbledore orchestrated such a grand deception is almost too much to fathom, yet Grindelwald's words leave a lingering doubt.
As the wizarding community grapples with these allegations, one thing is certain: the legacy of Albus Dumbledore will never be viewed in the same light again.
Albus Dumbledore Dead! Did his greed caught up with him?
Rita Skeeter
In a turn of events as tragic as it is shocking, Albus Dumbledore, the former Headmaster of Hogwarts, has succumbed to a slow and agonizing death caused by a cursed ring. Sources close to the investigation have revealed that the ring bore a striking resemblance to the legendary Resurrection Stone of the Deathly Hallows, though it appears to be an entirely different, and far more sinister, artifact.
Dumbledore was found lifeless in his home, discovered by a house-elf who promptly alerted the Aurors. Their arrival revealed a scene far darker than anyone could have anticipated. Alongside the cursed ring that caused Dumbledore's demise, investigators uncovered a trove of dark artifacts hidden within his residence.
"The nature of these items is deeply concerning," an anonymous source within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement confided. "We are looking into why a wizard of Dumbledore's stature would possess such dangerous objects."
How did a wizard known for his fight against the Dark Arts come into possession of such a perilous artifact? Was he, as some now claim, seduced by the very darkness he vowed to combat? Or did he never truly combat it at all, and simply used his status to hide his dark deeds?
It appears, however, to confirm the claims made by Gellert Grindelwald, was Albus Dumbledore obsessed with the Deathly Hallows and prepared to do anything to become the fabled Master of Death?
The Truth, who is Voldemort?
Rita Skeeter
In an astonishing turn of events, Aurors investigating the home of the late Albus Dumbledore have uncovered evidence suggesting that the former Headmaster may have orchestrated one of the greatest deceptions in wizarding history. Hidden among his personal effects were diaries and documents indicating that Dumbledore himself created the persona of Voldemort, the Dark Lord who terrorized our world for decades.
The diaries allegedly contain detailed accounts of Dumbledore's creation of Voldemort. In these writings, he purportedly outlines his plan to fabricate an enemy so terrifying that it would unite the wizarding world under his leadership. The motive? To secure unconditional support and to pursue his own obsession with the Deathly Hallows without interference.
"Dumbledore's writings suggest that he viewed the creation of Voldemort as a necessary evil," an insider close to the investigation disclosed. "He believed that by positioning himself as the ultimate hero, he could manipulate events to his advantage and seek the Hallows in peace. He also mentions being able to get rid of people who were not quick enough to agree with him (the Potters, see pg. 7 for details on his role in their deaths), or political adversaries.
The Aurors mentioned a specific name came up repeatedly in the diaries, as a powerful adversary he had to destroy at all costs, whether it was politically or literally was not specified by the Aurors, and the name remains confidential at this time.
This revelation redefines our understanding of both Dumbledore and Voldemort, painting a picture of a master manipulator who controlled both sides of the wizarding world's greatest conflict. The implications are staggering: was the terror inflicted by Voldemort and his followers all part of a grand design by Dumbledore?
The Aurors are continuing their investigation, but the initial findings have already cast a long shadow over Dumbledore's legacy. The man once revered as a paragon of virtue now stands accused of the ultimate betrayal, his actions potentially responsible for the suffering of countless witches and wizards.
Stay tuned as I uncover more about the dark secrets hidden in Dumbledore's diaries and the true origin of the Dark Lord Voldemort.
Tom Riddle: The Visionary Silenced by Dumbledore's Deception
Rita Skeeter
In an exclusive interview that promises to shake the foundations of the wizarding world, Tom Riddle has come forward to reveal his side of the story. He reached out to confirm he was the powerful adversary mentioned in Dumbledore's diaries and has stayed silent so far due to his weakened state until recently, and in fear or retribution against himself or his daughter. When questioned about his daughter, he remained silent and explained that for her own safety her identity shall remain a secret for now.
Tom Riddle explains he is the son of Merope Gaunt, making him Lord Gaunt and the Heir of Slytherin, his mother died in childbirth, leaving him to be raised in a Muggle orphanage in London during fraught times at the brink of the Muggle second World War. He was visited by Albus Dumbledore to be given his Hogwarts' letter and asked repeatedly to not go back to the orphanage during summer breaks but was constantly denied, even when Nazi were bombing London.
Riddle does not deny a complicated childhood where he used his powers, unknown to him as magic then, to bully other children and to protect himself. He explains it took a long time for him to learn to control his temper, and even longer to not fall prey to his peers' opinions on blood supremacy at Slytherin House during his studies.
Riddle presents himself as a visionary who sought to revolutionize the wizarding society, only to have his dreams crushed by Albus Dumbledore and the chaos of the Voldemort era.
"People have been fed lies for far too long," Riddle begins, his eyes glinting with a mix of passion and frustration. "I wanted to bring about true integration for Muggle-born in the 1970s, to eliminate the archaic notion of blood supremacy that has poisoned our world."
"Dumbledore saw my ideas as a threat to his own power. He couldn't tolerate the thought of anyone else leading the charge for progress, nor did he agree with my views and preferred to keep muggle-born as third class citizens. He claimed to be fair but his prejudices have never been hidden that well." (see pg. 13 for Dumbledore's policies at Hogwarts against muggle-born integration and discrimination of Magical Creatures).
Riddle's vision extended beyond just societal integration. He had ambitious plans for Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. "Hogwarts needed reform," he asserts. "Dumbledore's changes turned it into a place of division. I wanted to create an environment where every student, regardless of their background, could thrive. The Ministry, too, needed a revolution to eradicate corruption and inefficiency."
Riddle's voice trembles with emotion as he recounts the events of 1981, the night the Potters were attacked. "I was there to protect them," he says. "Dumbledore's deception had left me weakened, nearly to the point of death, but I knew the Potters were in danger. It was all part of his grand scheme."
"I wanted to better the wizarding world," Riddle concludes, his gaze intense. "But Dumbledore's lies and the persona of Voldemort were too powerful to overcome."
When asked if he would pick things up where he left in 1981, Riddle said "I have a daughter to consider now and won't make any decisions without her approval. Although, now that the threat of Albus Dumbledore is gone, I won't slink back into the shadows. Expect to see me take the long-forgotten Gaunt seat in the Wizengamot for a start and my place at the Hogwarts Board of Governors as a Founder Heir."
Stay tuned for more as we delve deeper into the past and uncover the reality of Tom Riddle's ambitions and Albus Dumbledore's machinations.
Record-breaking NEWTs at Hogwarts! Hermione Riddle comes out as her Hogwarts education ends
Rita Skeeter
In a sensational exclusive, Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, has not only shattered records with her NEWT results but also revealed a startling family secret. The studious and determined Granger disclosed she is the daughter of none other than Tom Riddle, the visionary figure whose ideas were stifled by Albus Dumbledore's manipulations.
With nine Outstanding NEWTs, 7 taken a year early and 2 taken at the end of her fifth year, Miss Riddle's academic prowess is undeniable. Yet, her ambitions extend far beyond personal achievement, "I plan to start a Charms mastery under Professor Filius Flitwick," she announced, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "But first, I'm taking international NEWTs in Alchemy and Warding", those courses are not offered at Hogwarts since Albus Dumbledore's early decisions as Headmaster.
She aims to continue her father's legacy by implementing significant reforms at Hogwarts. "I want to improve the school by reopening the Room for Werewolves, so those affected can study and thrive without fear or stigma, and transform in peace and safety" she explained. The mentioned room was sealed by Albus Dumbledore early in his tenure, and werewolves were then blocked from being able to study at Hogwarts.
Moreover, alining herself with her father's visions, she advocates for the introduction of new courses to broaden the educational spectrum at Hogwarts. "Alchemy and Warding are just the beginning," she said. "We also need a course on Wizarding Culture to ensure our muggle-raised students understand the new world they are entering and can appreciate its history and customs. Today, a muggle-raised student is basically told to swim or drown, there no help offered."
This revelation about her parentage and her ambitious plans has positioned Hermione Riddle as a trailblazer ready to shape the future of the wizarding world. Her dedication to academic excellence and social reform is sure to inspire many, while her connection to Tom Riddle adds a complex layer to her already fascinating story.
Stay tuned for more updates on this remarkable young witch and her quest to revolutionize wizarding education.
As a small teaser, a little birdy has told me to keep an eye for an engagement announcement coming soon for the newly-revealed Hermione Riddle, who is the lucky wizard?