"Tom, let me introduce you," Mrs. Greengrass said with a warm smile. "This is Madam Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She's here today specifically for your Anti-Wand-Dropping Bracelet."
"Nice to meet you, Madam Bones," Tom greeted politely.
Bones wasn't unattractive—she too had a head of golden hair—but her face was stern, her expression composed and no-nonsense. Looking at her gave Tom the faint feeling of meeting a younger Professor McGonagall.
Still, despite her serious demeanor, she returned Tom's greeting with courtesy.
"Mr. Riddle, I've heard about you from Susan," Bones said. "She told me you're the most outstanding student in your year. But from the looks of it now, I think she may have underestimated you."
"Well… she's not exactly wrong, is she?" Tom replied lightly.
Bones blinked at him in surprise, then nodded, the corners of her lips curling into a smile.
It had been a long time since anyone had joked with her. Even at home, her younger relatives would treat her like mice spotting a cat—instantly on guard.
"Alright, enough talk. Let's eat first—after dinner, you can discuss business," Mrs. Greengrass interjected, ushering everyone to the table.
At the dining table, the two adults chatted about Ministry affairs, while Tom enjoyed the dedicated attention of the two sisters.
At first, only Daphne was feeding him. But soon Astoria began to feel guilty—after all, she had taken so many of Tom's potions and listened to his bedtime stories every night. Yet she hadn't done anything for him in return. After much thought, she concluded the only thing she could do was follow her sister's example and act as one of his keepers.
Fortunately, Tom ate quickly and a lot—just enough to keep both sisters occupied.
Bones, watching the scene unfold, was visibly taken aback. She shot Mrs. Greengrass a meaningful glance.
The latter only gave a wry smile, shook her head, and murmured quietly, "I don't interfere in children's affairs. Right now, Tom is Astoria's only hope."
Bones was stunned. She glanced again at Tom, lounging there like some pampered lord.
Back in her own Hogwarts days, Bones had known the previous generation of Greengrass sisters—she'd even been their senior and close friend. She was also well aware of the truth behind the Blood Curse. Naturally, she understood exactly what "hope" meant in this context.
"No wonder you're going to such lengths to help him," Bones murmured, nodding slightly. Then she leaned closer and promised in a low voice, "As long as the product meets the requirements, I can guarantee the Ministry will order a batch."
"You're too kind, senior," Mrs. Greengrass replied warmly.
The two elegant women exchanged a knowing smile.
After dinner, Tom and Bones headed down to the basement, where there was an indoor training room for demonstrations.
"First, channel your magic into the bracelet through your wand to complete the binding," Tom instructed.
Bones followed his instructions, finding the process effortless.
Tom explained the usage in detail—it posed no difficulty for someone like her. After a few tries, she even challenged Tom to a live duel to test the bracelet's stability in real combat. It passed every test flawlessly, leaving her thoroughly satisfied.
"Mr. Riddle, the Anti-Wand-Dropping Bracelet has no issues whatsoever, and it suits the needs of the enforcement teams perfectly. What's your production capacity, and… how have you decided on pricing?"
Tom had already prepared his answer. "The price per bracelet is one hundred Galleons. For the first batch, I can deliver two hundred units before term starts. However, I should warn you—each bracelet's recall function will begin to wear out after a hundred uses. The runes will degrade to the point of being nearly useless."
Bones frowned slightly.
A hundred Galleons wasn't expensive—but this thing was essentially a consumable, with only a hundred uses? That worked out to about one Galleon per use.
Still, losing one's wand was always a critical moment in battle—each recall could mean saving an Auror's life. Compared to the enormous cost of training Aurors and Hit Wizards, the expense was negligible.
Especially Aurors. In recent years, the quality of Hogwarts graduates had been steadily declining. There was already a shortage of competent recruits, and losing even one trained Auror was a painful blow to the Ministry.
Once she thought it through, Bones didn't haggle. She simply told him she would give him the Ministry's decision in three days, and then she left Greengrass Manor.
Three days?
That would be the fourteenth—just in time. Any later, and Tom would already be on his way to America.
He reported the results of the meeting to Mrs. Greengrass, then returned to his bedroom.
The two sisters were already lying obediently in bed, gazing at him expectantly.
Tom sighed helplessly, quickly took a shower, and came back to continue their bedtime story.
At this rate, he thought wryly, he might actually be able to publish a book.
Perhaps he could call it… One Thousand and One Nights with the Greengrass Sisters.