"Yes," Professor Dumbledore seemed to be reminiscing, "Indeed, I remember when I went to meet Tom, he told me that his name was given by his father."
"Mr. Riddle—" Professor McGonagall sighed, "How could he do such a thing? I really don't know what reason he would have to slander Mr. Hagrid..."
"Who knows?" Professor Dumbledore tapped the table.
The memory abruptly ended here, and Harry again fell into endless darkness.
He pulled his head out of the Meditation Basin, only to meet Dumbledore's eyes, which looked unfazed.
Harry felt a bit embarrassed, having been caught peeking into someone's memory...
"Professor Dumbledore, I..."
Harry opened his mouth, but the words turned into: "I deliberately watched it..."
"I of course knew, young wizard like yourself, especially a Gryffindor." Professor Dumbledore smiled kindly, "Gryffindors are never lacking in courage and curiosity, aren't they?"
After he spoke, he walked over to his seat and sat down.
Harry moved to sit opposite Dumbledore and followed suit.
"So, did you watch it all?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"Hmm, yes," Harry nodded and said.
"What do you think—how do you perceive it?" Professor Dumbledore spoke, his gaze once again carrying that penetrating quality.
Harry didn't feel guilty, he directly told Professor Dumbledore: "I think that Riddle must be hiding something—I don't believe Hagrid would be the type who can't manage his pets, even though that Eight-eyed Giant Spider is indeed quite dangerous."
Upon hearing Harry's response, Dumbledore smiled kindly again.
"Sharp insight, but—" Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry: "Why do you think so? Is it merely because you're good friends with Hagrid?"
"Of course not, people killed by Eight-eyed Giant Spider venom are easily recognizable, Professor," Harry replied, "Furthermore, I know what exactly killed Tao Jin'niang... which was known as Elizabeth Warren among classmates."
Dumbledore's kindly smile slightly changed as he raised a brow and asked, "Oh? You know?"
"Yes, Professor," Harry answered confidently, "It's the Snake Monster, a Snake Monster—it has come out recently, the mastermind behind petrifying Fitch's cat and Colin are all it!"
"Why do you think this way?" Professor Dumbledore asked nonchalantly, with a hint of exploration in his eyes.
"Professor Lachham just told me," Harry said to Professor Dumbledore, "If someone looks directly into the eyes of a Snake Monster, it would lead to death—but if they see the eyes through another medium, they won't die directly but rather enter a deeply petrified state instead."
"For instance, Fitch's cat saw the eyes through the water traces on the ground; and Colin saw the eyes through the lens of his camera, which is why they're petrified!"
"I see, you're saying—a Snake Monster exists in Hogwarts?" asked Professor Dumbledore, "You mentioned Professor Lachham, where did you meet him?"
"You know him?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.
Professor Dumbledore chuckled and said to Harry: "Of course I know Professor Lachham, there are three professors in the Map Secret Room, right?"
As he spoke, Professor Dumbledore slyly winked at Harry.
Three?
Harry paused for a moment.
But he corrected nothing, instead asked: "How did you know?"
"Because your mother told me." Professor Dumbledore sighed softly, "Your mother, Lily Potter, at fifteen awoke the Ancient Magic talent and accidentally entered the Map Secret Room beneath Hogwarts."
"That secret chamber seems to have been reinforced by some Ancient Magic, I once wanted to go in to have a look, but found it impossible." Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry: "But what I didn't expect was, you are also an inheritor of Ancient Magic, Harry."
Harry then realized that Professor Dumbledore knew about the Map Secret Room because his mother had informed him.
It seems... mother didn't reveal anything about Vivi—but then again that's normal, given Vivi is Gellert Grindelwald's sister.
As a man on Chocolate Frog Cards, Grindelwald's infamy doesn't need much elaboration, it was understandable that mother chose not to tell Professor Dumbledore everything to protect Vivi.
"Should say, it's the Love Spell at work," Harry said, "You know, my mother learned an ancient spell from the professors in the Map Secret Room... I saw my mother's memory in the Meditation Basin of the Map Secret Room, learned the cause and effect... She willingly let Voldemort kill her to activate this Ancient Magic, thus passing the Ancient Magic inheritance to me, even... giving me the ability to resist and reflect the Slaughter Curse..."
Professor Dumbledore was moved, gazing at Harry, and after a moment, he sighed.
"Lily..."
"Your mother was the most talented witch I have ever seen, most righteous too... If she could let go of her prejudice against Dark Magic, learning a trick or two, perhaps the outcome would have been different."
"You..." Harry hesitantly looked at Dumbledore: "Actually encouraging others to learn Dark Magic?"