Light spilled out.
Inside the box sat a delicate tiara, set with a profusion of gemstones that scattered rainbow glints at every turn. In an instant it captured every girl's heart.
"Draco, is that for me?" Pansy Parkinson clasped her hands to her chest, eyes shining.
"Out of the way."
Malfoy impatiently shouldered Parkinson aside, then slipped on a fawning smile. "Tom, this gift is prepared especially for you. Do you like it?"
Draco had a little cunning, after all. The longer he thought, the more he realized he had no idea what Tom liked. So he decided to attack from Tom's circle. Everyone in Slytherin had seen how Tom treated Daphne. If Daphne was pleased, would Tom not agree to anything?
So although he asked Tom, Draco kept sneaking glances at Daphne to gauge her reaction.
Seeing her eyes light up like the others, he relaxed. It looked nearly in the bag.
Tom's face changed.
Draco's intention was obvious, and Tom did not dislike it. If anything, it showed Draco had put real thought into the choice. But... one tiara, are you serious?
What about Hermione, what about Astoria?
And next year, when Fleur arrived at Hogwarts, if Daphne flaunted this before her, would Tom not be in pieces?
Tom's finger twitched. A Muffliato curtain fell around the two of them. From outside, people could see their lips moving, but not a word carried.
"Draco, it is a fine piece. Where did you buy it? I want... four, no, five more. But not identical ones. Understand?"
Tom had already seen that this was a pure ornament, nothing but pretty. Easy enough to replicate with a Copying Charm and Transfiguration, but gifting identical jewelry was worse than gifting nothing. It screamed carelessness. He needed Draco to fetch different pieces from the same maker.
"Huh?"
Draco stared. "One is not enough? Is Daphne's appetite that big?"
"There is a lot of depth you would not grasp," Tom waved him off. "Take this back for now. When you have five, give them to me all at once. I will give you a copy of Harry's current notes now. After you deliver, I will hand over the advanced edition.
"Tell me, do you want to thrash Potter or not?"
"I do!" At the name, Draco snapped to attention. "I will write to Mother at once and get more. I promise every one will be top shelf."
"So Mother picked this one," Tom said, enlightened.
He should have known. With Draco's tunnel vision, how could he have such taste? Narcissa, though, that made sense. Whatever else one said of that family, their outfits were always put together to perfection. When Tom had met Lucius, the man had been dressed like a classic old Londoner, crisp as a Union Jack.
Draco hurried off to write his letter, gift in tow. Watching him take it, Daphne huffed.
"What kind of person takes back a present?"
"Tom, what is wrong with Malfoy? Did he not say that tiara was for you? Why did he change his mind?"
In the little witch's mind, any gift to Tom in this vein basically meant it was for her. Or would Tom wear it himself?
Hmm.
On second thought, she would not mind seeing that.
Tom did not blink. "I found a flaw in the setting. Malfoy was furious. He went to write the shop to send a perfect replacement. He will give it to me in a few days."
Daphne nodded, satisfied. "So that is it. Tell him to hurry."
"No problem."
Tom made a mental note to visit the Muggle world and recruit a few good jewelry designers. With a line of exquisite pieces on hand, he would never again be stuck for gifts.
...
Soon the Great Hall filled to the last seat. The professors took their places as well.
Tom noticed Professor Snape had grown thinner, with bruised shadows under his eyes. He looked wrung dry. Feeling someone's gaze, Snape glanced up, spotted Tom, and shot him a murderous glare.
He had spent the holiday helping Tom research... that disgusting potion. He had not slept properly in days. If not for that boy, where would all this extra work have come from?
Tom blinked at the glare, baffled as to what bug had bitten his Head of House this time.
At the Gryffindor table, Harry ate with his mouth permanently quirked up. This holiday had been glorious. Every other day he had pounded Malfoy into the flagstones.
Tom's notebook was a cheat device. It recorded practical little jinxes and the fastest ways to master them. Every day he learned something new. Especially Levicorpus. That charm ignored Protego, sweeping away Malfoy's biggest edge in one stroke.
In one holiday, Harry had repaid all the frustration Malfoy had made him swallow.
A pity that once term resumed, he could not duel so often. The itch already nagged at him.
After a while, plates lay bare. No one left. Everyone had been warned there would be important news.
Under a thousand eyes, Dumbledore rose and went straight to the point.
"Please note, in two days' time, our friends from Ilvermorny and Castelobruxo will arrive at Hogwarts."
So soon?
Students looked at one another. No one had expected the visitors to come the moment the holiday ended.