Pasta
"I understand."
Although her trust in Tom had wavered due to his unpredictable behavior, Ariana obediently closed her eyes and began to activate the obscurus within her, as he had requested. There was no other choice; after all, she trusted Tom. Since it was her own decision, she resolved to stick with that trust until the very end.
As her memories delved deeper, fragments of fear and pain resurfaced. Her expression gradually crumbled, her smile twisting into an agony that could not be concealed. Simultaneously, a wisp of black, flocculent mist seeped uncontrollably from her body. The air around her thickened, heavy with an oppressive energy.
"Ariana…"
Dumbledore's eyes were filled with worry as he watched his sister's pained expression. At that moment, he was not the Great Wizard or the most powerful sorcerer of the era; he was merely an old man, desperate to protect his family yet feeling utterly powerless. With Newt absent and the obscurus beyond his control, all he could do was place his hopes in the seemingly unreliable, large blue cat.
It was coming out.
Tom's eyes lit up as he noticed the black energy beginning to coalesce. He didn't fully understand the obscurus—but that didn't matter. He could sense the essence of it within Ariana. In his view, the obscurus was nothing more than a mass of manifested magical energy—a manifestation of magic tainted by intense emotions.
After observing this world's magic for some time, Tom realized it differed greatly from the stable, structured magic of Western fantasy he remembered. Here, magic was abstract, more like a form of willpower—an energy capable of granting wishes. An obscurus, he concluded, was likely just magic transformed into a monstrous form by the unconscious fear and desire of a young wizard.
But no matter its form, the obscurus was still magic. And to Tom, magic was simply a toy.
"(￣ω￣) A mere clump of magic thinks it can turn the world upside down? Just die quietly for me, meow!"
In that instant, the black mass, radiating a destructive aura, surged toward Ariana.
"Meow?!"
Tom's heart raced. The obscurus could consume Ariana's soul at any moment, and he couldn't afford to delay. Acting quickly, he reached out and, as if peeling silk from a cocoon, extracted a strand of the black energy from the mass.
Then, under everyone's shocked gaze, he opened his mouth and, with a loud slurp reminiscent of eating noodles, swallowed the black mist whole.
As Tom drew in the energy, the black mist pouring from Ariana's body thinned considerably. When the last wisp had been consumed, Ariana plummeted from the air. Fortunately, though weakened by the loss of the obscurus, her soul nature allowed her to float instinctively, avoiding a harsh crash to the ground.
"(;ﾟДﾟ) Is… is this even logical?"
Dumbledore staggered back, feeling as if his entire worldview had collapsed. The obscurus was a dangerous force that even he, Newt, and Grindelwald had been powerless to control. One could kill it—but doing so would destroy the innocent Obscurial. For years, they had attempted to save Credence, but ultimately failed.
And now he was witnessing something impossible: Tom had simply eaten the obscurus as if it were noodles. What had all their efforts been for?
Meanwhile, Tom savored the taste of the black energy while reflecting on the process:
"Wait… does this count as an indirect kiss? Tasting every inch of her… (._.)"
He shook the thought from his mind. The obscurus differed greatly from the Magic Sphere Pandora had once created. He remembered saving Luna's mother in a similar way, swallowing the uncontrollable mass of magic she had produced during a failed experiment. He had assumed the obscurus was similar—but it turned out to be more dangerous. During its formation, it could convert the host's body and soul into part of itself.
Luckily, Ariana lacked a physical body. The obscurus stalled when it attempted to consume her, giving Tom the opening he needed to slurp it entirely. If even a single misstep had occurred, the outcome could have been disastrous.
"(´-ω-`) Thankfully, it's over. The obscurus has been dealt with safely… otherwise, I wouldn't know how to face her trust."
Ariana floated gently, examining her condition. Tom let out a quiet sigh. Despite his myriad abilities, he was not a specialist in this field, and he knew he couldn't have guaranteed another solution without first understanding this world's unique magic.
"Tom, thank you!"
Finally freed from the obscurus, Ariana felt lighter than ever. She embraced Tom tightly, tears glistening in her eyes. Now she could form friendships without fear of harming anyone during emotional surges.
Patting Ariana's head, Tom feigned nonchalance and patted his own stomach.
"Sigh… that was nothing. Hardly as troublesome as the mess Aunt Pandora caused last time! I can digest this with ease—certainly a small matter compared to an obscurus."
"Mm, but still, thank you!"
Ariana's face flushed with gratitude. She floated toward Dumbledore, wrapping her ethereal arms around him in a gentle, passing hug.
"Brother Albus, can I join Hogwarts now?"
Dumbledore forced a smile, masking the tremor in his voice.
"Of course. From today onward, you are a student of Hogwarts."
"That's wonderful! Can I be in the same House as Tom?"
Though eager to make new friends, Tom remained special—the first, and currently only, friend she had. She hoped, if possible, to share a House with him.
"That's not something I can decide," Dumbledore said gently.
He regarded his sister tenderly. "Which House you enter depends entirely on your traits and desires, little Ariana."
Turning to Professor McGonagall, he added, "Minerva, please conduct a Sorting Ceremony for these two special students."
Dumbledore handed the Sorting Hat to McGonagall, while Ariana watched in curiosity. Quietly, he stepped over to Tom and spoke softly, his voice barely more than a whisper:
"Thank you, Tom… truly, thank you."
For the first time that day, Dumbledore allowed himself a moment of relief, grateful beyond words for the impossible act Tom had performed.
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