Chapter 260: Make a Friend
Tom Riddle was indeed a master at reading people and concealing his true intentions. After realizing that the person who had found the diary was a young wizard with excellent grades, he cultivated his "genius student" persona carefully to forge a connection with Kyle. But perhaps "persona" wasn't quite accurate—Riddle genuinely was a brilliant student, after all.
Because of this, he was able to answer Kyle's questions quickly and with apparent ease, often offering insightful advice. Kyle, in turn, picked up quite a few useful tricks. For instance, Riddle shared a tip for Transfiguration: when transforming small insects, drawing circles with the wand could increase accuracy and was much easier than simply tapping them.
"I just tried it, and what you said really works," Kyle wrote in the diary. "I always thought any extra wrist movement would affect the spell's result."
[Actually, if you're skilled enough, wrist movement can enhance the spell's precision,] Riddle replied. [I learned that from a professional journal called Transfiguration Today.]
"I'll have to check it out... Can I buy it in Diagon Alley?" Kyle asked.
[No need to buy it; the school library carries it. You'll find it on the fifteenth shelf, right side of the aisle, bottom row.]
"I'll look for it when term starts," Kyle responded.
[But it might have been moved by now, so ask the librarian to be sure. After all, I was made in 1943—it's been quite a while since then.]
Kyle stared at the line for a moment, his hand pausing slightly over the quill. Then he continued as if nothing had happened.