The quiet in the bed next to him felt almost oppressive. Even Madam Pomfrey had fallen asleep, so Kyle quietly slipped on his shoes and clothes, and crept out of the Hospital Wing. The castle was eerily silent.
As soon as he entered the main hall, he remembered that Professor McGonagall had mentioned Dumbledore wouldn't be at school today. But that didn't matter, because he soon ran into Professor McGonagall herself on the third floor.
"Kyle!" she snapped, clearly startled and furious. "You're supposed to be resting in the Hospital Wing—not wandering the halls!"
"Professor McGonagall, I know where the Chamber of Secrets is!" Kyle blurted out. "The entrance is in Myrtle's bathroom, under the tap that doesn't produce any water."
"What?" Professor McGonagall's eyes widened in shock, but she quickly regained her composure.
"You stay here. Do not move," she ordered firmly.
With a swift flick of her wand, she summoned her Patronus—a transparent tabby cat. She murmured instructions to it, and it sprang up the stairs, disappearing with a few graceful leaps.
But Kyle had no intention of staying put. As Professor McGonagall conjured her Patronus, he took a quick step backward, slipping into a hidden passageway nearby.
He knew the professors wouldn't let him go with them to the Chamber of Secrets, but he felt an overwhelming urge—perhaps even from the strange dreams he'd been having—that he had to go himself.
Emerging on the other side of the passage, Kyle took a moment to orient himself and then hurried towards Myrtle's bathroom. The "exploding textbooks" that had once littered the area were gone, though Kyle barely noticed as he made his way to the tap.
Speaking Parseltongue, he opened the entrance and turned to Myrtle, who was staring at him in surprise. "The professors will be here soon," he told her quickly. "Make sure to tell them that this is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."
"You—" Myrtle began, looking as if she had more to say, but Kyle didn't catch it. He'd already jumped into the pipe, sliding rapidly down.
A slimy feeling coated his back, and he regretted not bringing his broomstick for a more graceful entrance. But in moments, he'd reached the bottom, landing with a thud in the damp, shadowy tunnel.
He quickly navigated the path to the final doorway of the Chamber, feeling the intense buzzing in his head suddenly lift. For the first time in days, his mind felt clear.
Standing before the massive door, he hissed the Parseltongue phrase again, and the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets began to open.
The stone wall split down the middle, sliding open to reveal the Chamber of Secrets. The vast, dimly lit hall appeared unchanged, but Kyle's eyes were drawn to a black diary lying at the foot of the giant Slytherin statue.
"I didn't think it would be you," a soft voice said from the shadows.
Kyle turned, unsurprised, toward the voice. A tall boy, leaning casually against a stone pillar, stared back at him. He looked around fifteen or sixteen, with dark hair, thin lips, and a striking, handsome face—not unlike Cedric.
"It is I," Riddle replied with a nod, his tone mockingly friendly. "It's been a long time, my... good friend?"
He stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I've always wondered who would find the Chamber of Secrets first. Dumbledore? Harry Potter? I never expected it to be you."
"Surprised?" Kyle asked coolly.
"Not entirely," Riddle admitted, studying Kyle with interest. "You're just as clever and methodical as I was... it makes sense you'd find it."
"Don't flatter yourself," Kyle shot back, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I'm only in third year, and I've already won the Special Award for Services to the School twice, plus the Order of Merlin, Second Class. You only managed one school award by fifth year. Tsk."
Riddle's expression tightened, a flicker of irritation breaking through his calm mask.
"I've told you before, those titles are meaningless. Only power matters," he said, stepping closer. At some point, he had produced a wand—Ron's wand—which he now held at his side.
"We're alike, Kyle," Riddle continued smoothly. "Those filthy Mudbloods don't deserve to share a classroom with you. Join me, and I promise, before Salazar Slytherin himself, that we'll transform the wizarding world into something glorious."
Kyle narrowed his eyes at the wand aimed in his direction. "I have just one question. How did you get out?"
Riddle's smile twisted into something darker. "Honestly? I don't know. I was working to gain your trust when, one day, I suddenly found myself free, outside that cursed diary. I met someone else—a naive, weak little fool who opened up to me almost immediately, far more easily than you ever would."
He let out a low laugh. "Thanks to him, I've grown... much stronger."
"Think of him as my future servant," Riddle said dismissively. "Now, it's your turn to answer. Despite your past deceptions, I'm willing to forgive you if you'll follow me. Together, we can achieve greatness."
Kyle tilted his head thoughtfully. "Hmm... I might need a moment to think about it."
"Take all the time you need," Riddle replied smoothly. "I've closed the entrance you left in the bathroom, so we won't be disturbed."
"Really? That's... convenient," Kyle said, then, without warning, raised his wand.
A row of sharp stone spikes erupted from the floor around Riddle, piercing his form. But Riddle barely flinched, glancing down with mild annoyance.
"What a shame. I thought you might accept."
Kyle shrugged, his smile mischievous. "Would you believe me if I said I just slipped?"
Riddle's expression darkened. "What do you think? Crucio!"
The spells collided midair in a flash of red and white light, each ricocheting in a different direction. Riddle's curse scorched the stone floor, while Kyle's spell sliced into a nearby pillar, leaving a deep gash.
Riddle's gaze shifted to the damage, his eyes widening briefly in surprise. "Dark magic of this level—and a Nonverbal Spell, too. Among wizards your age, you're the most talented I've seen. I almost regret having to kill you."
His words dripped with mockery as he raised his wand again, sneering. "But the game is over. Now I'll show you the true power of Salazar Slytherin!"
Turning his back on Kyle, Riddle faced the towering statue of Slytherin, opening his mouth to hiss, "Speak to me..."
The words echoed through the chamber. Riddle froze, glancing back, bewildered.
In that instant, Kyle had already completed the incantation in Parseltongue, his voice low and sure. "Speak to me, Slytherin... greatest of the Hogwarts Four!"
"You... no... this is impossible!" For the first time, fear flickered across Riddle's face. He turned fully, fury and shock contorting his features. "How do you know the command to summon the Basilisk?"
"Because I am the true heir of Slytherin," Kyle said, grinning with a confidence that mirrored Lockhart's own theatrical style. "You're just a cheap imitation."