According to the original regulations, once the Nurmengard alarm was triggered, three Auror squads were required to arrive within ten minutes to assess the situation.
But decades had passed.
Those who truly understood Grindelwald's terror had long since left the stage. With no incident for so many years, it took precious time before the staff even remembered what the alarm meant. Only then did they scramble to notify the stationed Aurors.
By the time they arrived…
All that remained was ruin.
Collapsed stone.
And the sharp, suffocating scent of sulfur lingering in the air.
Every Auror present stood pale, their expressions blank with disbelief.
"Where is Grindelwald…?" one of them murmured, almost dreamlike, turning to his companions as if they might provide an answer.
"Alive or dead, we find him!"
They began clearing rubble with grim determination.
Soon, they uncovered the unconscious Squib warden, Hilo. After reviving him, his first words shattered their final hope.
"Gr… Grindelwald escaped!"
The news was transmitted at once.
...
The Austrian Ministry of Magic fell into chaos.
Inside the Minister's office, Karl Friedrich stood frozen, his face drained of all color.
At seventy three, he was not considered old among wizards. He was still in what should have been his prime.
In his youth, Grindelwald's power had been at its height.
Even his own family… had once been part of that dark wizard's forces.
Why had he risen so high?
Because when the tides turned, his family, along with much of the country, had defected in time. They avoided the purge and even reaped benefits from their "timely redemption."
But now?
Grindelwald had escaped.
Would he seek revenge?
Would the surviving followers, the old believers, answer his call once more and rally beneath his banner?
Would the world plunge into chaos again?
One question after another struck Karl Friedrich's mind until it went completely blank.
After what felt like an eternity, he began tremblingly initiating emergency contact with other Ministries.
This was no longer Austria's problem alone.
It demanded a united response.
Europe.
The world.
Halloween?
Forget celebrations.
Everyone would share in this dread.
...
At Hogwarts, the atmosphere could not have been more different.
Though Tom had been delayed by witnessing Grindelwald's escape, his Apparition speed allowed him to return quickly. When he arrived, the feast had just begun. Even the High Table was not yet fully occupied.
The Great Hall was alive with laughter, filled with the eerie charm of Halloween decorations.
No one knew.
Not a single soul realized that a world shaking event had just taken place.
Tom calmly ate the steak Daphne had cut for him, along with neatly deboned chicken wings, while his consciousness connected to the learning space.
A momentous occasion like this deserved witnesses.
He had summoned Andros and Ariana as well.
Seeing Grindelwald break free and return to his prime stirred something in them.
Before, they had all been confined together.
Now, one had escaped.
And regained youth.
It was impossible not to feel tempted.
"Shouldn't have let him take the opportunity," Ariana muttered, dark energy flickering faintly around her.
Andros cracked his knuckles. "He looks strong… I'd like to fight him now, with a real body."
"Patience," Tom said calmly. "Everything will come in time. I haven't even perfected physical reconstruction yet. You wouldn't want to walk around in broken bodies."
He glanced at Andros with a faint smirk. "Especially you. How many times did you beat Grindelwald in the learning space? Aren't you worried he'll take revenge?"
Andros coughed awkwardly. "On second thought… I can wait."
Ariana quickly added, "I don't want an ugly body. Tom, you must make mine perfect."
"Then be patient," he said, almost indulgently.
After settling them, Tom turned to Ravenclaw, who had remained silent.
"What are you thinking about?"
She came back to herself, a faint smile on her lips.
"I was wondering… how Grindelwald returned to his peak. Was it time manipulation? Life restoration? Or something beyond my understanding?"
Tom shrugged lightly.
"Talent is talent precisely because even the one who possesses it cannot fully explain it. It's instinct. If you want answers, you'll have to research them yourself."
Then he added casually, "Just don't neglect my projects."
Having finally acquired a true research mind, Tom had no intention of wasting it. He had already handed several of his ongoing projects to Ravenclaw.
All he needed to do now…
Was wait for results.
"I understand," she said, nodding before heading toward the meditation chamber.
Tom watched her go.
Even resurrection failed to stir her interest. What fascinated her was the underlying principle.
What, then, could truly move her?
Helena?
The thought lingered.
He reached out and gently ruffled Ariana's hair before withdrawing his consciousness.
...
At that exact moment, Albus Dumbledore entered the Great Hall through the side door alongside Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin.
All three wore warm smiles, engaged in light conversation.
Tom looked up at Dumbledore's kindly, smiling face…
And smiled faintly himself.
Enjoy it while you can.
Once news arrives that your old friend has escaped…
Will you still be smiling then?