Interrogation of Dippet

As soon as Harry discovered the cloak, he began to imagine all sorts of uses he could make of it. An entire universe of mischief opened up to him. The Weasley twins better watch out!

But very quickly, he decided that his first use would be devoted to uncovering the mystery surrounding Riddle. Indeed, his friends and he had quickly concluded that, since all the archives had been destroyed, the only way to learn more would be to speak to someone who had lived through the events firsthand. However, apart from Dumbledore, they didn't know anyone that old, and Harry didn't want to question the old wizard. Given that he was already suspected, what would it be if he openly started investigating the Chamber of Secrets? Snape would have a field day. And anyway, the old wizard only responded with riddles. He shouldn't complain later if everyone thinks he's senile!

On the evening of the return, he covered himself with the cloak, left his common room, and snuck to the headmaster's office. He had thought for a long time about including Jenny and Lucas, but with the new security measures, going back and forth between the three common rooms discreetly would have taken too much time. And then, if he got caught, there was no point in all of them getting punished.

Once in front of the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the office, he began to try all the candy names that came to mind one after the other. Harry hoped the headmaster hadn't changed his password system since the summer. After what seemed like an eternity to him, the gargoyle unlocked access to the headmaster's office, and Harry was finally able to enter the great hall where the portraits of all the former headmasters were located. Without wasting time admiring the magnificence of the room or the various strange objects found there, he began to read the captions under the portraits in search of the headmaster in office in 1943. He quickly found:

Mr. Dippet,

The wizard depicted in the painting woke up with a start and grumbled.

Hello young man, what are you doing here at such a late hour?

I would need to talk to you for a presentation on the history of magic.

At this hour? By the way, how did you get in?

Dumbledore gave me permission. He says there's no time limit for learning. And to be honest, I have to turn in my assignment for tomorrow.

Ah, I see. Very well then! Ask me your questions. But be more diligent in your studies next time.

He forced himself to look stern, but he rather seemed amused by the situation.

Yes, Mr. Director.

I haven't been a director for a long time. Call me Armand, will you?

Okay. Could you tell me the reason why Tom Riddle was awarded a medal for special services to the school in 1943?

All of a sudden, he looked terrified.

What is your assignment about again? And what is your name?

My name is Draco Malfoy and I have to do an assignment on the history of Hogwarts.

A Malfoy, really? With your brown hair?

I was adopted. Improvised Harry, who had been prepared for him to ask his name, but not to question his lie.

My boy, during my career, I have encountered much better liars than you. So why don't you just tell me the truth?

But damn, what could have happened in 1943 for it to be so hard to get information? Is it a state secret or what?

An expression of regret passed over his face.

No, it's just the kind of event we don't want to talk about, even long after it happened. However, you are right, I have no reason not to answer you. But please don't judge me too harshly. You don't know what it was like to live in those years. The war was everywhere, both among wizards and Muggles. My work was incredibly difficult, and not everyone is Dumbledore.

The wizard stopped for a few minutes. Harry waited patiently for him to speak again.

I gave him this reward for stopping the Heir of Slytherin and putting an end to the attacks on Muggle-borns.

What!? Exclaimed Harry, who did not expect that.

What's so surprising?

Has the Chamber of Secrets already been opened?

Yes. That's what I said.

But Professor Binns told us that it's a legend. The story of Hogwarts says it's just a legend. Why did they lie to us? And then in that case, do you know where the Chamber of Secrets is? And then (...) Harry blurted out quickly.

Calm down, young man. One question at a time, please. To begin with, your teachers have not lied to you. The Chamber of Secrets is just a legend in which only the simple-minded believe. What is the likelihood that this chamber exists when no one has found it in over a thousand years? Not to mention that, as a historian, I can assure you that in its current form, this legend only dates back to the early 19th century, when pure-blood families imported the racist ideologies developed by Muggle colonial empires to justify slavery and then maintain free blacks in an inferior status. Indeed, as its name suggests, the Chamber of Secrets was not in earlier legends a weapons room where aPotential heir could come to help themselves to embark on a totally anachronistic technical purification project, (…)

Unable to stop himself, Harry let out a yawn as loud as it was impolite, which outraged Professor Dippet. Harry didn't know it, but before becoming headmaster, Dippet was a passionate professor of the history of magic, who couldn't stand it when others didn't share his interest in the subject.

In short, throughout the year 1943, Muggle-borns were attacked and found petrified by high-level magic. A number of malicious people, who were probably in cahoots with Grindelwald, spread the rumor that these attacks were the work of the heir. They even went as far as writing texts in letters of blood on the school walls several times. But I never believed those nonsense. There had to be another explanation for these attacks. What it was, I do not know. Probably a dark magic spell specially invented by Grindelwald for the occasion. It was likely part of a plan to destabilize England in preparation for an invasion. In any case, he was defeated the following year by Dumbledore, and we never heard of a so-called monster of Slytherin again.

Harry once again felt a strong urge to yawn, but he knew that if he wanted information, he had better let his interlocutor speak until the end. The first time, he had seen from his expression that the portrait was about to throw him out.

And Riddle in all this?

Oh! It is a very sad story. Towards the end of the year, in addition to the petrifications, a student was found dead in the toilets. Riddle had discovered a few weeks earlier that Hagrid had acquired a giant Acromantula and asked him to confess, rightly thinking that this creature must have been responsible for the horrible murder. But he refused, so Riddle attacked the creature so that at least it wouldn't harm anyone else.

Unfortunately, she ran away, so he was forced to report it, so that a search could be organized. In other circumstances, I would not have approved of betraying a comrade's trust in this way, but here, it was completely justified. Following his revelations, the authorities deemed that Hagrid was the perpetrator of the various attacks and I had to punish him accordingly.

I didn't know Hagrid was that old, commented Harry.

I also noticed during his rare visits to the director that he doesn't look 62 years old. His half-giant genes must have preserved him from aging.

So you condemned Hagrid, even though you thought he was innocent? Harry asked with a hint of accusation in his voice.

Innocent, I would not say that. He still put the lives of all the other students in danger by secretly raising an Acromantula. And it is very likely that he caused the death of Miss Myrtle Elizabeth Warren. That certainly deserved punishment. However, not as severe as the one he received. And even less than what he would have had without Dumbledore's intervention. I am not asking you to forgive me, but to try to understand me. It was either that or closing the school. For you, Hogwarts is probably just a school, but at that time, it was also a refuge for the children of opponents to Grindelwald and one of the few places where wizards of all statuses mingled and formed a society. In those years of widespread disintegration, maintaining such a place was essential.

You said probably. Hagrid may really be innocent?

Maybe yes. The analyses requested by Dumbledore failed to prove that acromantula venom was the cause of his death, as well as the absence of a bite. Not to mention that it is surprising that the acromantula did not devour its victim. But the forensic wizards also indicated that they could not rule it out. Moreover, I don't see what else could have happened to him.

Maybe she was killed by the same thing that attacked the other Muggle-borns?

That seems unlikely to me, as the modus operandi was very different. To begin with, the other victims were petrified and not killed. Then, during the other attacks, the bodies were carefully staged to make an impact on the crowds, whereas this time the body was placed on the floor of the second-floor girls' bathroom without any form of artifice. Of course, the public did not bother with these considerations and attributed this attack to the heir.

One last thing, what is the connection between Riddle and the Gaunts?

None, during my lifetime. And I would be surprised if that has changed over time. You see, Jedusor was a Muggle-born and the Gaunts are purists of the worst kind. If they ever met him, I doubt they even spoke to him. Although, I say Muggle-born, but in fact, we cannot be sure. You see, the poor child was an orphan, and no one knew who his parents were. During his early years, he would tell anyone who would listen that he descended from a high lineage. He also spent a considerable amount of his free time searching for any trace of a Jedusor in the wizarding world. But he found nothing. Even after I allowed him to search the headmaster's archives to reward him for his excellent results.

Her eyes began to sparkle at the memory of her former student.

He was so talented. A true genius. The living proof that Muggle-borns are not inferior to pure-bloods. And yet, even the latter appreciated him. Everyone appreciated him, to be honest. It must be said that he was so kind and helpful. Always wanting to help others. And that, despite theacts of abuse of which I suspect he was a victim in that horrible orphanage.

In fact, thinking about it, there were two people who didn't like him. First, Fleamont Potter, who hated him from the first day, without me understanding why. Yet, Tom was one of the few who never made fun of his name. Well, it seems to be a tradition among the Potters to hate the best Slytherin student. Isn't that right, Mr. Potter?

How did you guess?

You look a lot like your father. And now I remember seeing you in this office several months ago.

Are you going to report me?

No, my boy. I was delighted to speak with you. You know, the life of a portrait is extremely monotonous. And one of the few advantages of being dead is that you no longer have to follow the rules. In return, I would like to ask you a favor. I don't know why you are interested in Riddle, but if you find out what became of him after he left Hogwarts, come back to see me. I never managed to find out during my lifetime and for some reason, Dumbledore refuses to tell me. Probably because he feels guilty for having been unfair to him during his schooling, just because he was a Slytherin.