— — — — — —
"Are you really Michael?!"
Laos was staring at Tom in shock, his heart ready to burst out of his chest.
"When I saved you, I was Michael. But my real name is Tom Riddle."
Tom shifted back to his true appearance. "At the time, I was strapped for cash, so I borrowed that identity to squeeze a few galleons out of old Borgin. Laos, the money you sponsored me with really helped."
Hearing a secret only the two of them could've known, Laos finally accepted it: Michael was Tom.
"Then… how old are you, really?" Laos had mostly recovered from his fright, but he was still utterly confused.
Was it Tom who became Michael, or Michael who became Tom? He couldn't tell anymore.
"Hogwarts' defenses aren't as flimsy as you think. They don't just let some grown wizard sneak in and enroll."
Tom walked over to the desk, sat down, and waved a hand.
The single sofa sitting by the wall slid across the floor, scooped Laos up, and set him neatly across from Tom.
"I'm twelve years old. Well, eleven when we first met. But with some talent, and a very powerful teacher, it makes sense I'd progress a little faster, doesn't it?"
"That's… insane. Totally insane."
Laos immediately thought of Grindelwald. Given how the Acolytes always spoke of Grindelwald's overwhelming power, it didn't seem all that far-fetched anymore.
Yes, that was more like it. The disciple of the Dark Wizard should be nothing less than extraordinary.
"Master Riddle." Laos' attitude shifted to a respectful bow. "Miss Rosier asked me to send her regards, and deliver this gift on her behalf."
He pulled a small, ornate box from his robes and set it on the desk.
The box floated into Tom's hand. When he opened it, inside lay a brooch inlaid with a gem the size of a dove's egg.
"Please tell Miss Rosier she has my thanks."
Tom set the gift aside, then pulled out a sleek notebook. After adding Laos as a contact, he showed him how it worked. "From now on, just use this if you need to reach me. No one else will see what's inside—it only responds to your magic."
Laos had never seen anything like it. He fiddled with the notebook for a while before remembering why he'd come, straightening his posture. "Master Riddle, what exactly is my task at Hogwarts? At this point, Dumbledore seems to trust me. After all, my identity is airtight."
"Your task is to attend class." Tom waved a hand dismissively. "Don't get clever. Don't make moves on your own. The fact that you can stay at Hogwarts and keep eyes on Dumbledore is already a success."
"Huh?" Laos blinked. That was it? No danger, no risk?
So the elaborate escape routes he'd been planning these past two days were pointless?
"Everything else can wait until Grindelwald gets out of that tower. For now, just build up your power." Tom replied.
Whatever happened, Grindelwald was still his teacher. One way or another, Tom planned to release him.
As for whether that would offend Dumbledore—Tom didn't care. Why should he live his life worrying about other people's feelings?
His own comfort was all that mattered.
"…I understand," Laos muttered weakly.
Anyone else would've been relieved to get such a safe mission, but Laos wasn't normal. He craved thrills, and now he only felt disappointed.
Not that he'd dare go against Tom's orders. He still needed Tom's help, after all.
"Master Riddle," Laos' plump round face suddenly broke into a fawning grin. "Could you… maybe get Lord Grindelwald's autograph for me?"
Tom's eyelid twitched. "He's still in Nurmengard. You want me to get locked up just to fetch you a signature?"
"But you can contact him, can't you?"
"Only to talk. If I could pull things out of there, I would've freed him already."
"Then at least mention my name to him, please!"
Tom eyed him curiously. "Laos, you're an American wizard. Shouldn't you hate Grindelwald, or at least stay neutral?"
"Instead, you even joined the Acolytes. What are you really after?"
Laos gave a sheepish smile. "It's nothing, really. I just want to learn his Transfiguration, then turn into Percival Graves, and make Robert call me Grandpa."
Tom: "…"
He had underestimated just how abstract this man's mind could be.
"Human Transfiguration, huh?" Tom sighed. "I've already mastered that spell. Behave yourself this year, and I'll teach it to you as a reward."
Laos' face lit up. "Generous as ever, Master Riddle! I swear to follow your every command. Oh—by the way, are you still short on money?"
Tom waved lazily. "Not anymore. I've got a rich girlfriend, and a wealthy teacher."
"…I see." Laos looked regretful. He'd just come into some extra funds, and was planning to show loyalty with a hefty donation. Instead, Tom was living off soft meals now.
"But if you insist on giving, I won't turn it down."
Laos: "…"
Good, good. Now that was more like a disciple of the Dark Wizard.
— — —
"Tom, what did Professor Wilkinson want with you?"
Tom returned to the Great Hall two thousand galleons richer. Lunch was already spread across the long tables, and Daphne had piled a plate high with meat and bread just the way he liked, with a steaming bowl of thick soup on the side for dipping.
"Nothing much. He just noticed how quickly I picked up the Shield Charm, said I had potential, and gave me a pass to the Restricted Section so I can self-study some advanced spells. If I get stuck, I'm to ask him."
Tom pulled out the signed slip and showed Daphne.
"I thought you'd end up fighting him," the little witch said, looking almost disappointed.
"Honestly, sister." Astoria shook her head. "Professor Wilkinson's already been quite generous. Why would Tom pick a fight with him?"
"Don't mind her," Tom said without looking up. "She just likes stirring trouble."
"Hmph."
Daphne puffed her cheeks. First her sister, now Tom—everyone was ganging up on her.
So unfair.
But the pout didn't last long. The girl quickly bounced back to her usual carefree self. "Tom, tomorrow is the weekend! I've already thought of a new plan to deal with Megatron. Let me try again, okay?"
"Tomorrow? No, can't." Tom paused his furious eating. "I've got to make a trip to Hogsmeade, and I'm not sure when I'll be back."
"Hogsmeade?" Daphne tilted her head in confusion. "Only third-years are allowed to go, and it's not even a visiting weekend."
"Because it's important." Tom took a sip of onion codfish chowder. "Actually, thanks for reminding me—I still need to send a request to Dumbledore."
He could've slipped out unnoticed if he wanted, but rules were rules. And he was going to see Aberforth. Which meant Dumbledore would likely find out anyway. Not informing the headmaster would be far too blatant, like openly ignoring his authority.
No sense picking a fight over something so small. Best to follow procedure.
"Fawkes," Tom called softly.
Within seconds, a blaze of fire burst in the air, coalescing into the phoenix, which landed neatly on his shoulder.
A few professors who witnessed it twitched at the corner of their eyes.
Dumbledore's phoenix was that close to Riddle? Just a single call and it came flying? At this rate, they weren't sure who Fawkes actually belonged to.
"Take this note to Dumbledore. Tell him I'm waiting for his reply."
Tom scribbled the message in a flash of magic, tucked the parchment into Fawkes' talons, and the bird nuzzled his cheek before taking off toward the tower.
---
Headmaster's Office.
Dumbledore frowned at the empty perch. If Fawkes had just gone out for fun, he would never have used flame-travel inside the castle.
Before the thought fully settled, Fawkes swooped in through the window and dropped a note onto his desk.
"…Ah."
Now Dumbledore understood.
What was happening to today's youth? The Headmaster's office was only on the seventh floor. Walking up a few flights of stairs wasn't going to kill anyone. Yet a student had roped in his phoenix just to deliver a message.
Shaking his head at the laziness of the younger generation, Dumbledore opened the parchment.
His expression didn't change—calm as ever.
Tom had once again shifted the blame onto Newt. The note said he wanted to meet Aberforth to ask about poachers, supposedly on Newt's behalf.
The Hog's Head Inn might not be a true black market, but it was a hotspot for shady dealings. Few realized the surly innkeeper was Dumbledore's brother. Aberforth had gathered plenty of information that way.
And in truth, Newt did have connections with Aberforth. Tom had already cleared things with him through the green notebook.
"Chirp-chirp!"
Dumbledore was still considering when Fawkes gave an impatient cry.
My little brother was waiting for a reply—hurry it up!
"You too?" Dumbledore sighed, half amused, half exasperated.
So now his phoenix was siding with Riddle?
Shaking his head, Dumbledore drafted the note: {Tom, you may go to Hogsmeade, but you cannot leave the village or the school grounds. Otherwise, there will be no next time.}
Just as Tom had shown him courtesy, Dumbledore wasn't about to make trouble over something trivial.
This Riddle shared many traits with the other one, yet was also noticeably different. To Dumbledore, Tom's greatest advantage was restraint—he knew his limits far better than Voldemort ever had.
Well… perhaps not "restraint." Even Voldemort in his youth had never been so brazen as to publicly whip a professor. But still, Dumbledore felt oddly at ease.
Soon enough, Fawkes returned with the reply.
Daphne watched the phoenix land with open envy. She didn't actually care about Hogsmeade. What she wanted was to go with Tom.
If the two of them ended up in Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, wouldn't that count as… dating?
She'd heard plenty of rumors from older girls about that place.
If only she could hurry up and reach third year. Then she'd be able to go with him.
Astoria, meanwhile, was staring up at Fawkes as the bird preened. Catching her wistful gaze, Tom simply passed the phoenix over.
"Fawkes, let Astoria help. Grooming yourself like that is inconvenient."
"Cawww."
Proud creatures though phoenixes were, and unlikely to lower themselves for anyone, this time Fawkes grudgingly allowed it—only because it was Tom asking.
Astoria's face lit with joy as she carefully hugged the bird and began smoothing its feathers.
"Tom."
Daphne suddenly lowered her voice, leaning in so close.
"…What?" Tom tilted his head, puzzled by her secretive tone.
"I want a story tonight," she whispered, all soft and coaxing.
"Tonight? That's tricky. I can't exactly sneak into the girls' dorm just to tell you one."
"We could go to the case world."
"All right. Put your roommates to sleep with a Stunning Spell and sneak out. We'll meet in the common room at midnight."
"(≧◡≦) kay~!"
Their voices were so low even Astoria didn't catch the exchange. She wouldn't discover her sister's secret until the next story night—when she realized Daphne had slipped out on her own!
.
.
.
Read +50 advanced chapters at👉 patreon.com/_Coreal