Tom had no idea that a simple permission slip had sent Snape spiraling into nostalgic melancholy.
After leaving the Potions classroom, he met with Daphne and Hermione in a small lounge. The three of them spread out a map and began planning the next day's schedule and route.
Tom had visited Hogsmeade many times.
Daphne and Hermione had not.
Accompanying two girls at once meant neither would truly enjoy the day.
There were only two possible solutions.
Either they pushed him off the Astronomy Tower.
Or they divided the time properly.
Daphne chose the morning.
Hermione chose the afternoon.
The morning carried novelty and excitement. The afternoon offered longer hours. Both girls were satisfied with the arrangement.
Daphne circled a location on the Hogsmeade map. "I've already reserved two tables at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. One at ten in the morning, one at three in the afternoon. No need to thank me."
"Mm… just tell me which drinks are good there," Hermione replied. "I'm afraid I'll order something terrible."
"No problem. Oh, and don't go near the Shrieking Shack."
"I know," Hermione nodded. "Tom already told me its history."
As the two witches chattered away, Tom's consciousness had already slipped into his learning space.
He began practicing Apparition.
Since the start of term, he had achieved the rather humiliating milestone of being captured by Fawkes seven times.
Seven attempts.
Seven losses.
But that did not mean he had stagnated.
Quite the opposite.
His maximum Apparition range had increased by fifty percent. After performing three consecutive maximum distance jumps, he still retained a sliver of magical reserve, though not enough for a fourth.
If he could either perform four consecutive maximum jumps or extend his range by another fifty percent, he would finally defeat Fawkes in the Hogwarts to Istanbul race.
That progress was largely thanks to Grindelwald.
As for Rowena Ravenclaw, she had never directly instructed him in specific spells after being summoned. Instead, she refined his perception of magic, sharpening his intuition and conceptual understanding.
She was not idling.
In fact, she practically monopolized the meditation chamber. Whenever Tom was not training, she spent her time studying posthumous magical developments, absorbing modern magical theory as quickly as possible.
A good meal was worth waiting for.
Tom did not rush her. The more thoroughly she prepared, the better.
...
In the arena, spells streaked across the air.
In the blink of an eye, another collision erupted. Shimmering light smashed against stone walls, sending chunks of massive rock crashing down.
This was merely a warm up exercise between Tom and Grindelwald.
Neither used high level destructive spells. The rule was simple.
After every Apparition, you must immediately cast a spell.
Their speed was so extreme that afterimages lingered on the battlefield. To an observer, it would appear as though several Tom Riddles and several Grindelwalds were dueling simultaneously.
Five minutes later, they halted at the same instant.
Tom rubbed his temples. "Old Grindelwald. Tomorrow's Halloween. Want to come out?"
Grindelwald had been recovering with his eyes closed. At Tom's words, his eyes snapped open, something unreadable flashing within them.
"You've accumulated enough energy?"
Tom gave a noncommittal nod. "I had enough some time ago. I was just considering the right moment. Then I realized… it's inevitable. Why overthink it?"
The phased promotion reward from WhatsApp had granted him five hundred achievement points. Summoning Ravenclaw had consumed only a fraction of that, and Tom had quickly replenished the rest through steady progress.
Not to mention…
After the placement examinations, he had earned a mid tier draw.
The reward?
A ninety percent discount voucher.
[Consumption Discount Coupon (10 percent off): Grants a 10 percent discount upon use. Expires after activation.]
The familiar scent of corporate opportunism lingered in the description.
Ten percent off?
Why not bundle rewards and unlock premium tiers while you're at it?
He had mocked it at first.
Later, he realized how valuable it truly was. If he had possessed that voucher when summoning Ravenclaw, he would not have had to wait an entire summer to accumulate enough points.
Five hundred achievement points saved meant half a Century King's worth of value.
Not bad at all.
"Return to peak condition…" Grindelwald murmured, gazing at the empty sky.
The learning space mirrored reality closely, but whenever he returned to his frail, broken body, reality reasserted itself brutally.
How long had it been since he had seen real clouds?
"Afraid?" Tom teased lightly.
Grindelwald clasped his hands behind his back and shook his head.
"The moment I appeared here, everything had already changed. It is time to sever the past."
"Then tomorrow it is. Let us give the wizarding world a proper Halloween fright."
At that decision, the haze left Grindelwald's eyes. His presence sharpened instantly, aura turning razor keen.
The dark wizard who once swept across continents, who made the world tremble, had returned.
"Tom," Grindelwald asked quietly, "once I am out, what would you have me do?"
"Nothing complicated." Tom smiled gently, though his words carried consequences that would reshape the future. "Make some noise. Gather your old friends. No one conquers the world alone. Even you need capable hands."
"Oh, right." Tom paused. "Ralph tracked down the address of the Picquery family. You should pay them a visit. That former President…"
Tom frowned, trying to recall the man's name.
He thought for a long moment and still came up blank.
In the end, Grindelwald reminded him.