Hogsmeade's long-unchanged routine was once again broken.
Following the opening of Al's Coffee Shop a while ago, another coffee shop opened right next door to it.
Hollis Carow, who had just graduated this year, stood in front of this coffee shop named Gale, looking utterly defeated.
He watched his aunt, Alecto Carow, who was smiling and greeting customers at the flower-basket-laden entrance, and suddenly wondered how the world had become so fantastical.
The whole matter had to be traced back to a week ago, ever since Tom left Al's Coffee Shop, Tom had once again appeared at Malfoy Manor.
Lucius was enjoying his afternoon tea when he was startled by the sudden appearance of someone, spilling his entire cup of tea all over himself.
He dared not express his anger and was forced to put on a professional smile.
"Master, is there anything you need on this visit?"
"I need to open a coffee shop in Hogsmeade, right next to the newly opened Al's Coffee Shop by the Saints.
Grindelwald's Saints have already surrounded and are monitoring Hogwarts; my Death Eaters cannot fall behind.
Find a reliable person to monitor Hogwarts on one hand and the Saints on the other.
I'll give you one week; I need to see the coffee shop open before next weekend."
With only Lucius there, Tom had no desire to waste words with him and directly stated his purpose.
"Yes, Master, I understand."
Lucius immediately nodded in agreement; it was just opening a coffee shop, a minor matter for the Malfoy family.
After giving his instructions, Tom was about to leave but suddenly stopped.
"Master, is there anything else?" Lucius, seeing this, felt his heart, which had just settled, rise again, fearing that Tom would propose another difficult task.
"Remember to go fight Weasley more often in the future, the kind with fists."
"Huh?"
Seeing Tom Apparate away immediately after speaking, Lucius stood stunned, completely unable to fathom what the Dark Lord truly intended.
"Achoo!"
"It's not cold today, so why do I suddenly feel a chill?"
At the same time, Mr. Weasley, far away at The Burrow, involuntarily sneezed.
Tom, leaving Malfoy Manor, returned directly to the outskirts of Hogsmeade, and as if nothing had happened, leisurely returned to Hogwarts through a secret passage.
He had given all the instructions; now it was up to Lucius.
One had to praise Lucius; as a competent subordinate, he was truly efficient.
The next day, Tom received a letter from Lucius stating that the shop had already been acquired.
And then, in the shop, Tom met the so-called reliable people Lucius had found: his old schoolmate Hollis Carow and his aunt Alecto Carow.
"Riddle, what are you doing here? This isn't where you should be!"
Hollis Carow, who had been brought by his aunt to meet a 'big shot,' sharply questioned Tom the moment he saw him.
However, thinking of Tom's actions in Slytherin throughout the past year, a hint of fear still colored his tone.
No sooner had Hollis Carow finished speaking than he received a violent blow to the back of his head from his aunt, instantly leaving him bewildered.
Alecto Carow, on the other hand, was in a completely different mood.
Her feelings were extremely complex when she thought about being approached by Lucius yesterday and told to bring someone to work for the Master.
Families, who knew what it meant for her, a Death Eater who had fled after Lord Voldemort's first defeat and escaped trial, to suddenly learn that Lord Voldemort had returned in secret?
At this moment, she, poor, weak, and helpless, was terrified, but she had no choice but to go, after all, that was Lord Voldemort.
However, when she brought her nephew to meet Lord Voldemort for a job, what she saw at the location provided by Lucius was a handsome young Wizard.
Alecto Carow, who had perfectly missed Lord Voldemort's pre-disfigurement period, had neither seen Lord Voldemort's handsome young face nor, unfortunately, had anyone told her Lord Voldemort's original name.
This caused her to stand momentarily stunned, unsure of the situation.
It was then that the Black Magic Mark on her left arm began to burn and become clear, and Alecto Carow instantly understood the identity of the young Wizard before her.
At that moment, hearing her nephew blabbering beside her, she suddenly felt her vision go black.
It's over, it's over, families, who understands the 'joy' of being about to be 'eliminated' by the family?
Forget it, I don't care, I'll beat up my little nephew before I die.
Hollis Carow, bewildered by the blow, wanted to ask his aunt what was going on, but he saw her, after beating him up, kneel on one knee to lightly kiss Tom's robes, only for Tom to disdainfully dodge away.
His aunt, however, didn't mind and instead became even more fawning and ingratiating, begging Tom for forgiveness: "Master, please spare us, Hollis didn't know your identity; he was unintentional, please spare him this once."
Who else could be called Master by his Death Eater aunt besides Lord Voldemort?
Hollis Carow immediately understood the 'true identity' of a certain classmate Riddle, and so he knelt down on the spot, instantly feeling a warm flow in his pants.
Thinking about what he had just said to Tom, how could he not have known he was so brave, daring to provoke Lord Voldemort to his face?
The Sorting Hat must have sorted him into the wrong house back then; he absolutely, absolutely should not have been in Slytherin; being sorted into Gryffindor was the right path.
He also wondered if it was too late to turn around and run, to find Dumbledore and beg to join the Order of the Phoenix.
Tom watched the performance of the Carow aunt and nephew, a gentle smile on his face, showing no sign of anger.
He even comforted Alecto Carow: "Alecto, long time no see, get up first.
Don't worry, Hollis is my schoolmate; I won't punish you for such a small matter."
"Hmm?"
Alecto Carow looked at Tom in surprise.
Had the Master changed his personality?
Just as she stood up tremblingly, she heard Tom say again: "But as the manager of my Gale Coffee Shop, look at how you just behaved, and then look at Ms. Veida Rosier at Al's Coffee Shop next door.
You need to be elegant and dignified, understand?"
"I don't have much time; now I need to quickly train you to become an excellent lady like Veida Rosier, so..."
"Crucio!"
Feeling the pain of the Crucio curse falling upon her, Alecto Carow let out a painful wail, but her heart relaxed.
The Master was indeed still the Master; look at the familiar taste of this Crucio curse, it was truly authentic.
Watching his aunt display a strange smile even under the torment of the Crucio curse, Hollis Carow unconsciously took two steps back.
So this was the Death Eater he had always yearned to be; he wondered if it was too late to change sides now.
In the end, Hollis Carow still did not escape Tom's 'love' education.
So, on this brand new weekend, on the day Hogwarts students arrived as scheduled, Ms. Alecto Carow, an excellent employee among the Death Eaters, and Hollis Carow, an excellent Slytherin graduate, stood in front of Gale Coffee Shop, smiling and warmly welcoming customers.
"Welcome!"