Chapter 49.5- Doom Days

“What do you mean?” I asked, pouncing on the statement. Was this just him trying to discourage me so I didn’t get much better to make it easier for him to use me as a sacrifice.

“Tom Riddle was a prodigy among prodigies. When it comes to magic, he had more talent than even myself. More talent than I have seen in any other. He could learn spells by intuition alone. He could feel the magic around him and bend it to his will in ways that most wizards would not dare. And he could do it from his first year. If you want to start practicing any field of magic in the hopes of learning enough in a year to overcome him, then you will be sorely dissapointed. You have no shortage of talent yourself harry. And this year has shown us what you can create when you put ypiur mind to it, but trust me when I say that Tom has no equal when Magical talent is concerned.”

“So what do I do then? I saw the way you dueled him. His knowledge of the dark arts did not matter with what you could create and bring to bear.” I said. I’d assume he as helping for the time being— give him the chance to prove himself not to be an ally. Let him hang himself with his own rope.

“Yes, Tom is more talented than I but I have always been a shade more skillful. And it is skill you need to cultivate. Every transfiguration I could attempt would be doable for Tom. Nothing I could create that he could not copy, but he would never match my affinity, my skill, my experience. That is what you need to focus on.. A level of skill that will allow you to face him even at his best”

“But how? We still get back to the not having enough time problem” I dropped in.

“Then you will have to learn magic he does not know. Taking him by surprise might give you enough leeway to close the gap that inevitably exists between the two of you”

“You just said he’s the most talented wizard you’ve ever seen. Where exactly am I going to find magic that Voldemort doesn’t know about?” Instead of replying, his eyes just twinkled almost insanely.

“There is a thing you managed last year which the rest of the world thought impossible. I can tell you that I have put my own effort and skill towards recreating even a facsimile of what you did and still failed. To be completely honest, it might be something entirely unique to you” He said. What was he talking about now? Did he jut enjoy being confusing for its own sake?