Chapter 94 The calm before the storm
"Who are you? Where is Aidan? He always comes at this time today." The ghost said again.
"Senior Aidan?" Della put on her glasses, and the steam from the glasses stained the mirror with a layer of white mist, but she didn't care, and continued to look up and down at the ghost, "I don't know, it was Senior Alian who asked me to come here at this time. Who are you? Are you a ghost in Hogwarts? Why haven't I seen you before?"
"Myrtle in the girls' bathroom on the second floor," Myrtle's face puffed up even more. She shook her robe and jumped to the ceiling. "He must be mad at me. I met him and the Slytherin head girl here last week."
"Huh?" Della opened her eyes wide.
"They're wearing clothes! They're dressed properly! His girlfriend is just putting something on his neck!" Myrtle shouted immediately, and her sharp cry woke up the mermaid in the painting. The mermaid rubbed her eyes and jumped into the sea behind her, making a loud sound as she entered the water.
Putting away her surprise, Della put on her glasses and kept looking at Myrtle who was still running around on the ceiling. She kept sliding her glasses up and down, as if she was confirming something.
"You know, Aidan is the most handsome and most extraordinary boy I have seen in decades. He is the only one who joked with me nonchalantly when he first saw me here." After running enough, Myrtle floated to Della's side and entered the water like taking a bath. "He has a girlfriend, but he may die suddenly like I did. At that time, I will welcome him to my bathroom."
"......" Looking at Myrtle who was sighing beside her, Della fell silent for the first time because she had too many questions to ask. Myrtle's words really revealed too many interesting points. However, after adjusting her glasses, she asked the most obvious question, "Are you looking forward to it, Myrtle? The kind of expectation that feels happy."
"Of course," Myrtle turned to Della's other side and pouted her lips unhappily as she looked at her foggy glasses. "You have to wear glasses like this. Are you trying to laugh at me for being a ghost?"
"Oh! I'm sorry to make you angry." Della's eyes widened for a moment, as if she had observed something interesting. She quickly took off her glasses and put them aside. "I was a little scared by you just now, so I subconsciously put on my glasses. If I made you uncomfortable, I'm very sorry, Myrtle."
"Huh?" After seeing Della take off her glasses, Myrtle was stunned for a moment, then she suddenly moved closer to Della, startling her so much that she pressed herself against the edge of the bathtub. "You look like someone I've seen before."
Della's nose was facing Myrtle's. Her muscles were tensed, and her delicate collarbone that was exposed above the water trembled slightly. Hearing this, she paused, and her dark eyes met Myrtle's eyes behind her thick-framed glasses. "Is your name Riddle, Myrtle?"
"Riddle... yes, his name is Riddle, a polite senior, everyone likes him..." The light in Myrtle's eyes gradually lost its brightness, and the expression on her face slowly faded, revealing a confused look, while in her mind, long-forgotten memories began to awaken.
Tom Riddle, a Slytherin student who was well-liked by teachers, was tall, handsome, humble and kind. He had no prejudice against Muggle-borns like her. Like all girls at that time, Myrtle seized every opportunity to secretly look at this boy who always had a smile on his face.
Even the most sarcastic Hongbei would be a well-behaved little school girl in front of the warm and cheerful Riddle. Oh, Hongbei, Myrtle remembered the pair of yellow lanterns she saw before she died.
She suddenly got rid of the confusion she had just felt. Myrtle stared at Della, who had no expression on her face. But before she could fly away, Riddle in front of her spoke, "Please stay here for a while, Myrtle?"
Myrtle didn't move, and she closed her eyes.
Della's body relaxed and she put on her glasses. Now she looked as cold as she did two years ago. She looked at Myrtle who was motionless, raised her hand and looked at herself, and after confirming something, she took off her glasses and put them aside.
"Myrtle, can you tell me when I died?"
"Fifty years ago, I was crying in the bathroom on the second floor when I heard a boy's voice. I wanted to go out to warn him, but as soon as I went out, I saw a pair of bright yellow things. They looked like the eyes of something. Anyway, I died instantly."
"Well..." Della's hand rested on the edge of the bathtub. She paused for a moment, then said gently, "Thank you for your story, Myrtle. Oh, it just so happens that you don't know my name yet. Just pretend that you have never been here today and we have never met. Let's completely forget about this afternoon, okay?"
"I'd love to." Myrtle still paused with her eyes closed.
"Very good. Next, please go back to your usual place and stay alone until tomorrow night." Della narrowed her eyes as she watched the subtle changes in Myrtle's expression. She continued in that gentle tone, "I've never seen you before. I don't think that's a place where many people go. This request shouldn't bother you, right?"
"Okay." Myrtle closed her eyes and hesitated for a while before saying this.
"Good-bye, then, Myrtle."
"Goodbye." Myrtle said lightly, and she floated away through the wall.
The reef in the frame was bare, and the beautiful blonde mermaid had not yet returned from the sea. Della, like the whole room, suddenly became deserted. She put away the hypocritical smile on her face, washed herself casually twice, and climbed out of the bathtub.
Every time she turns someone into a puppet, she also becomes a puppet.
In addition to the difference in emotional perception between puppets and humans, there is another quality that can be considered an advantage - absolute rationality.
In this moment of self-reflection, Della re-evaluated the information she had now - today's harvest was rich. She confirmed that Riddle in the past was Voldemort, and also confirmed that her eyes were very talented in Legilimency. She even understood to a certain extent the working principles of her eyes during the experiments on her new work.
Before, even though she knew about the Clingretton family before Maggie, she did not confront Maggie when she lied. Not having the right timing might be a reason, but it could also be an excuse for Della to not act out of personal emotion.
Della is always hesitant because in her subconscious, Maggie is her friend, brother and father, but she is not sure whether she is Maggie's friend, sister and daughter. Before these ideas are verified, doubt will destroy all possibilities.
But Della doesn't care about these things now. Before the small piece of her soul that resides in Myrtle's soul comes back, all she can see is her current bargaining chips.
Tonight would be a good time to have a showdown with Maggie.
Della came to this conclusion, put on her clothes, packed her bag, and walked out of the prefect's bathroom. After that, she would go to the library to borrow those books, and then wait quietly in the dormitory for Maggie to come back.