— — — — — —
Leaving Professor McGonagall's office, Tom finally checked the system task that had just appeared.
The mission was simple: once Hogwarts officially reformed its exam system, he'd earn an Advanced Gacha pull. On top of that, as long as they kept using his method, five hundred credits would roll in every year as his salary.
Tom had to admit—the system was being generous this time. Sure, five hundred credits a year wasn't much, just scraps really, but an Advanced Gacha could produce some incredible rewards. Ariana, after all, had been summoned through one of those.
And completing the mission wasn't even in doubt. The reform clearly benefitted the students and raised Hogwarts' overall education quality. McGonagall had already signed off on it.
And at Hogwarts, once Professor McGonagall set her mind on something, it almost never failed.
All Tom had to do now was wait, and the task would take care of itself.
...
"Time to chill a little~"
Today had been a day full of gains, so Tom decided to reward himself by skipping his afternoon History of Magic class.
Back in the common room, the place was mostly empty—everyone except the first-years was still in class.
Astoria was curled up in a single armchair by the tall glass window, flipping through a fashion magazine.
She didn't even look up until a familiar hand ruffled her hair.
"Tom, did everything go well?"
The girl's soft voice carried a hint of expectation. Her clear eyes lit up. "The First Class Order of Merlin—there shouldn't be any problem, right?"
Astoria naturally knew what he'd been working toward lately.
"Fudge agreed to help me submit the application," Tom said. "Dumbledore, McGonagall, and even Snape said they'd reach out to some of their old contacts. With our own side pulling strings too, it's basically in the bag."
Astoria nodded eagerly. "Good! I'll tell Mother later. This has to succeed."
She didn't know exactly how deep her family's resources ran, but she knew one thing for sure: the Greengrasses never had money problems. If something could be solved with gold, then it wasn't really a problem at all.
And while most committee members of the Order of Merlin were prestigious wizards with spotless reputations, surely there were a few who weren't immune to financial concerns.
Tom played along with a smile. "Your mother adores you the most. As long as you're the one asking, there's no way it'll fall through."
Even though she knew he was just humoring her, Astoria still brightened. Then she made a small request.
"Tom, I want to go see Blaze and the others."
"Right now?" Tom glanced at the time. "Why don't we wait a bit? Another half hour and your sister plus Hermione will be out of class."
"I don't want to." Astoria's voice dropped to a whisper. "Let's sneak over. Don't tell Daphne."
Tom's lips twitched.
He was starting to think Astoria had developed quite the hobby. This wasn't the first time—late-night snacks, sneaking into the Forbidden Forest to spot unicorns, even playing wizard chess—ordinary things she insisted on doing behind Daphne's back.
Her reasoning? Daphne was too childish, too loud, and always demanded Tom's attention. Sometimes Astoria just wanted a little peace.
But… was that really the only reason?
Still, faced with her pleading eyes, Tom gave in. Astoria tucked away her magazine, beaming as she grabbed his hand and left the common room with him.
It was a cold day, but the rare sunshine made it pleasant. The Black Lake was calm and glittering, its still surface broken as the giant squid surfaced to bask in the warmth.
"Tom!"
Halfway across the grounds, a voice called his name. He turned to see Penelope standing among a group of Ravenclaw girls, waving brightly.
Tom returned the greeting with a smile and a nod. Since Penelope didn't move to join them, Astoria lost interest and turned her attention elsewhere.
But just after she looked away completely, Penelope silently mouthed something to him.
"Twelve o'clock. Ravenclaw Tower entrance. Don't be late."
Tom's expression froze for a moment before he gave the slightest nod.
Astoria sneaking behind Daphne's back, Penelope sneaking behind Astoria's back… what was this? There's always a higher sky, always someone better at the game. No matter how high you climb, there's always someone who can top you.
---
In the Forbidden Forest, three unicorns pranced around happily with Astoria, while Tom lounged in a chair, enjoying the sight. At least this way Astoria got some exercise.
Part of his mind, though, was elsewhere—in his magical space, meditating as he processed Slytherin's legacy. Some of the darker spells on body modification had sparked new ideas.
If he applied those principles to slimming potions, making a 100% Weight loss potion.… wouldn't that count as putting forbidden knowledge to practical use?
He'd long grown accustomed to splitting his focus like this. It even made him sharper in battle—silent casting, wandless magic, instant spell execution. He could unleash a flurry of different spells in the blink of an eye.
"Tom, let's head back."
By the time the sun set, Astoria's cheeks were flushed pink and her forehead beaded with sweat. Today's activity had been more than her usual exercise for an entire week.
Tom put up a protective barrier around them to keep her from catching cold in the evening air. The thoughtful gesture made her heart feel warm and sweet.
...
Midnight.
Tom slipped quietly to the base of Ravenclaw Tower. Penelope was already waiting in the hallway, a schoolbag dangling from her hand.
"So, you dragged me out here this late just to freeze in the cold with you?" Tom teased.
"Of course not."
Penelope rolled her eyes. She wasn't much older than Daphne or Hermione, but there was something effortlessly alluring about her. This girl was born to be a witch.
She pushed open a door, leading him out onto the terrace. With practiced ease, she shoved two tables together and pulled out a few cakes and a roasted chicken from her bag.
"Tonight, I just wanted to thank you, my lifesaver." Penelope's smile was bright. "You killed the basilisk. Thanks to you, not only me but all the Muggle-borns can feel safe again."
"I baked all of this myself. If it doesn't taste good, just tell me—I'll improve it next time."
"Then I'd better taste carefully." Tom raised an eyebrow, took a bite of cake, chewed thoughtfully, and finally nodded. "Soft and fluffy. I like it. If it were a little less sweet, it'd be perfect."
Penelope quickly tucked that away in memory—Tom didn't have much of a sweet tooth.
"Try the chicken."
Tom tore off a piece and took a bite. "Better than the house-elves. Juicy, too."
Penelope's grin widened. "I practiced with a few Hufflepuff friends, you know."
Tom gave her a thumbs-up and demolished the chicken in no time, polishing off two cakes on top of it before leaning back with a satisfied burp.
"Alright, I've accepted your thanks. So from now on, drop the 'lifesaver' title."
Penelope nodded, still smiling. This was exactly what she liked most about Tom. If he had brushed her off or outright denied it, it might have seemed like their relationship was closer, but it would've left her feeling guilty, unable to properly thank him.
This way was better. Even if her little feast didn't measure up to what he had done for her, at least she had expressed her gratitude.
"Don't rush off just yet. I have one last gift."
She spread a sheet of parchment across the table.
It was a drawing. The sun was shining in the picture, and a blonde girl lay in a hospital bed while a dark-haired boy sat at her side. Both of them were smiling.
The art style was simple and cartoonish, but Tom knew exactly what it was meant to depict. He carefully folded the drawing away.
"I really like this one. I'll frame it when I get back—and add a charm so it moves."
"You thought the same as me." Penelope sighed with a little regret. "If only my animation spells weren't so sloppy, I'd have done it myself."
"It's not hard. I'll jot down a trick for you later. Practice it a bit and you'll get it."
Tom also slipped her a copy of Codex, and Penelope lit up like a child with a new toy as she explored its features.
A cold wind cut across the terrace, reminding her where they were. She quickly dragged him back into the hallway.
"You can study it later," Tom chuckled. "If you've got questions, just message me."
Penelope squinted at him playfully. "So giving me Codex was just a way to avoid seeing me in person?"
"You looking for a fight or what?" Tom flicked her forehead.
"Ow!" Penelope covered her head. "Don't act like you didn't hear me joking."
"I must be an idiot, then. Didn't get it." Tom feigned innocence.
She could only huff, pretending to be annoyed as she turned toward the common room door. But before she could step inside, Tom caught her by the wrist.
"Admit you were wrong?" she asked, turning back with a smug look.
"Nope." Tom shook his head. "That chicken was great. Make me a couple more next time."
Penelope burst into laughter. "I'll roast you ten and make sure you're stuffed."
"That's what I like to hear." Tom grinned. "Now, go get some sleep. Don't be late for class tomorrow."
She bit her lip, then suddenly leaned in and hugged him, warm breath brushing his ear. "Thank you, Tom."
"It's ok," Tom said gently, patting her back.
Just then, the Ravenclaw common room door swung open. Cho and Marietta stepped out.
Tom: "..."
.
.
.