Chapter 190: New House Renovation, Giving a Trash Can to Snape
The smile on Hermione's face never left after she left the Granger house.
Tom's new home is too close to hers.
The straight-line distance is closer than the Gryffindor common room to the Slytherin common room.
The only pity is that Tom was too "lively" during the holidays, just like last year, and basically didn't stay in the UK for very long.
Cross the road and turn from the main road into a small alley (court). At the end you can see four villas surrounding a roundabout. The place is very spacious.
To call it a villa, the area is really too big. Each house has a garden and swimming pool in front and back. To call it a manor is a bit small, but it is definitely a mansion.
Hermione took out the key and opened the iron gate. The key had been kept at Granger's house so that Mr. Granger could arrange the furniture and find someone to clean the house.
The entire house covers nearly one acre, which is almost 4,000 square meters.
The house area is 600 square meters, and there are five floors in total including the basement.
Mr.
Granger's aesthetic is very standard classical European style, and the furniture and decoration are matched, and there seems to be nothing wrong with it.
Tom himself doesn't really care about this, as long as he lives comfortably, otherwise he wouldn't leave it all to others.
"I want this room! Tom, shall we make this room into a bedroom?"
In addition to the extra-large master bedroom suite, the fourth floor also has a dedicated study, a cigar room, and a beverage area.
Daphne had her eyes on the cigar room.
Mr.
Granger naturally couldn't give Tom a smoking room, so he just put a TV and a game console here, making it an entertainment room.
"No." Before Tom could even open his mouth, Hermione objected immediately: "Every room on the fourth floor is useful. Aren't there enough guest bedrooms on the third floor for you to stay in?"
Daphne curled her lips and said, "It's so troublesome to run upstairs and downstairs. It's better to live on the fourth floor directly."
"You're making too much noise. You're disturbing Tom."
Hermione was a little anxious. This was the only room upstairs that could be converted into a bedroom. Tom would definitely use the study to study. She couldn't just move into the master bedroom, right?
Astoria said weakly: "Sister, this room is quite big, how about putting two beds in it?"
337 Hermione's eyes went dark.
No, how can sisters come together to bully others?
"Alright, alright." Tom waved his hand to stop the girls from chattering, "If you all want to live on the fourth floor, then we can partition off a few rooms and use the expansion spell to enlarge them so you don't have to fight over them."
"Abuse of the Extending Charm...isn't it illegal?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"What's illegal?" Daphne didn't care. "Those laws are just to fool you. Except for serious crimes, they can't control Greengrass or Tom.
The well-behaved Astoria didn't think there was anything wrong with what her sister said.
Hermione was silent for a moment. It was not that she did not understand these things. The most law-abiding people were actually the general public. The upper class was all about rules, and it was fine as long as they followed the rules of the game.
Her family is right at the top of the general public, but cannot reach the privileged class.
.....
After a tour of the entire house and garden, Tom didn't find any major problems and began to have some ideas about the renovation plan.
The first thing is the internal space. If you think it is small, then expand it.
The fourth floor was doubled in size and divided into three large suites. The second and third floors were similar, but the number of rooms was not increased, only the area of each room was increased.
With Tom's current level of the Traceless Extension Spell, he wouldn't have to worry about it becoming ineffective for several years or even decades.
As for the activity area on the first floor, because it involved furniture placement, a lot of places would be empty if it was expanded rashly, so Tom did not do it.
It would not be too late to renovate it after buying all the necessary things.
Anyway, it was convenient for wizards to move, and the levitation spell could control how to put things wherever they wanted.
"Daphne, talk to Auntie someday and help me connect the fireplace to the Floo Network.
"I'm going to the Ministry of Magic now." Daphne pulled Astoria and was about to leave. Hermione was very curious about the Ministry of Magic and planned to go with them to take a look.
But before leaving, Daphne called two house-elves and asked them to bring all the spare furniture in the house to decorate the bedroom, and also to prepare whatever the house needed.
Tom shook his head repeatedly. He really didn't want to be a gigolo, but the rich woman had her own belongings, so he couldn't refuse her, right?
After the girls left, Tom continued with his work.
A Muggle-Repelling Charm was placed to prevent any blind thieves from visiting, and Confusion Charms were also placed in every corner of the manor, adjacent to the neighbors in the left and right yards.
As long as they stood a little higher, they could see the situation in the yard clearly over the fence.
There are also some defensive measures. Tom used magic to hide the address of the house. Unless he told others, no one else could find it.
The effect is inferior to the confidentiality of the Fidelius Charm, but it is more convenient to use.
The last step is the renovation of the back garden. Tom doesn't plan to plant any rare herbs here, but some flowers and plants that can purify the air and improve the environment are still needed.
Usaqi flew out of the pocket and looked at the surrounding environment curiously.
"Woo woo?"
"Yes, this will be our home from now on." Tom said with a smile, "I won't build your nest, since you don't like it anyway."
This vacation was short, so he did not bring the unicorn back. During the summer vacation, he would keep the small world in the basement instead of putting it in the back garden.
Usagi was wrapped around Tom's neck like a scarf again, but he was not angry.
Rayquaza will always belong to the sky, but Usagi is still young, and living in outer space is somewhat dangerous. She now prefers to sleep feeling Tom's breath.
Compared to the beginning of the school year, Usagi's size hasn't changed much. All the meteorites that Tom could collect have been eaten up, and now it relies entirely on natural growth.
This time I go to France, I also want to ask Rozier to get the goods, otherwise Usachi is growing too slowly and I don't know when I can help.
Tom went to Diagon Alley and bought a lot of seeds of ornamental flowers and plants at the herbalist. When he returned home, Daphne and the other two had already returned.
With someone in the government, things can be done quickly. Not only is Tom's fireplace connected to the Floo network, but it also has very high authority.
You must use special Floo powder to enter, otherwise you can't get in at all. It can also go directly to Greengrass Manor, making it much more convenient to travel back and forth in the future.
The house elves also furnished several bedrooms.
In order to celebrate the move into a new house, several people unanimously decided to have an open-air barbecue. They asked the house-elves to prepare the ingredients and then leave, so as not to disturb Tom's earthly... world.
Hermione has been learning cooking from Hannah for so long that her cooking skills are now very good. At least Daphne enjoys the meal very much.
"Ah!" After eating another piece of lamb chop, the little witch showed a satisfied smile on her face.
"I feel that Tom's house is better than ours. It's not far from Diagon Alley, and there are many Muggle shops there, which are much more interesting than those in the market."
Astoria nodded repeatedly. She was dazzled by the clothing stores on the street and wanted to go into every store. Although her place was large, there were too few people and it lacked the atmosphere of home.
Hermione snorted, "I don't know who it is. When school started, he looked down on Muggle things and argued with me every day."
Daphne blushed, "Hermione, don't bring up the past!"
Daphne is a purist. If Tom hadn't impressed her with his good looks, the two of them would never have reached this point.
But people always change. After looking at Muggles without tinted glasses, Daphne discovered that the wizarding world was the one lagging behind. Muggles were far ahead in terms of pure enjoyment of life. The combination of the two was the most ideal result.
"I'm not bringing up old scores." Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm just seeking revenge."
Daphne was furious. She put down the lamb chops and tried to grab Hermione with her greasy hands. Hermione screamed and ran away. The garden was filled with the sound of their fighting.
Tom found that half of his dream had been realized. All he had to do was to be invincible so that he could enjoy life without any burden.
The Greengrass sisters stayed at Tom's house, and even Hermione spent almost every day there.
It's just because my home is too close and it wouldn't be appropriate not to go home, so I still have to go back at night.
When Tom was busy during the day, the girls would do their homework or go shopping. They would always come back with a lot of things, so many bags that could fill up the huge coffee table.
Astoria loves all kinds of beautiful clothes, while Daphne will buy anything she finds interesting.
Looking at the several peculiarly shaped hookahs she brought back, Tom fell silent.
But what made him most speechless were the several...trash cans on the ground.
"Daphne, is there anything special about these trash cans?"
"Ah?" Daphne glanced at her masterpiece. "Nothing special. I just thought this thing was perfect for storing the leftover garbage from the Potions class. I plan to give it to Professor Snape as a Christmas gift."
"Well done." Tom patted her clever head: "Have fun at home. My friend from the Muggle world is back from vacation. I'll go see him."
"Are you coming back for dinner tonight?" Astoria asked.
Tom shook his head: "Come back after dinner, you don't have to wait for me."
"Then go quickly and go home early."
Daphne carried her trash can and ran upstairs to wrap a gift for Snape.
Tom smiled, wondering what expression Snape would have when he received it, and disappeared from the spot with a snap.
When he reappeared, he was already near the Children's Home.
This time when he came back, there were a few more children living temporarily besides Seth. Tom had no interest in getting to know them, so he just took Seth to a nearby McDonald's.
Tom moved out of the children's home on the pretext of living with his classmate. Although Seth regretted not being able to live with Tom, he was also happy that his eldest son had a friend.
With Tom's help, Seth's career as a professional boxer has become smoother and smoother. He has started to participate in youth competitions and has won several awards.
Tonight Tom decided to come over and give this kid another dose of the Reem bull's blood. He would have to rely on himself for the rest of his life. As a childhood friend, he felt that the help he had given was enough.
After eating McDonald's, the two went to the video game arcade in the next door shopping mall and played for two hours before parting.
Tom did not go home, but came to a dessert shop in Diagon Alley. A black-haired girl was sitting by the window drinking coffee and reading a newspaper.
The girl only noticed Tom when he sat down opposite her. She looked up and immediately relaxed.
"Sorry, I'm a little late, Qiu." Tom said embarrassedly.
The girl smiled gently and shook her head: "No, I came too early. It's not even the agreed time yet."
Well...he didn't tell Astoria just now that he was having dinner with Seth.
That shouldn't be considered lying, right?
Chapter 191: The Declining Magic World, Political Donations
"How does it feel to be on vacation?"
The dinner appointment with Qiu today was something they had planned before the holiday, but Tom has been busy renovating his new home these days. He just confirmed the time with Qiu and didn't know much about the girl's current situation.
Qiu tilted his head slightly and thought for a moment before saying, "It's much easier than school. I was very happy in the first few days. I visited and ate at almost all my favorite stores, but now I feel bored again."
The girl laughed, "It's like this every holiday. When the novelty wears off, I start to miss school life. I have friends around me, and interesting things happen from time to time. I can watch Quidditch."
"You really like Quidditch."
Tom always thought Qiu was a pretty girl majoring in literature, but she turned out to be a sports major. "Is there any hope of seeing you play this school year?"
Qiu shook his head in disappointment: "I can only play after Senior Delia graduates next year. She is a really good flyer and has more experience than me.
Tom consoled them: "It's okay, just give it another year to settle down. You guys don't have a chance to win the championship this year anyway, so you can only take the blame if you go on the court.
To be honest, Qiu was already used to Tom's straightforward way of speaking, but she still couldn't help but feel choked.
"Although Ravenclaw lost the first match against Hufflepuff by more than 200 points, theoretically - it's still possible to win.
"Oh, yes, yes, I am very familiar with what you said."
Qiu rolled his eyes at the boy in annoyance, "Just wait, when school starts, Ravenclaw will definitely defeat Slytherin.
"You know, I don't care about this kind of competition. I will congratulate you even if you win."
When chatting with people, the important thing is not the topic, but who you are chatting with. Anyway, there is a beautiful girl in front of him, and even if she doesn't know much about Quidditch, it won't affect his interest.
"I've loved the Tornadoes since I was six years old. They were the first to use the Seeker's Plumpton Retrace technique, and it was from that time that I wanted to become a good Seeker.
"How often do you watch the game?" Tom asked curiously.
"Not much." Qiu shook his head: "My parents are busy with work, and I can't go far away to watch the game by myself. Most of the time I just see the moving pictures in the newspaper."
Tom thought it would be great if it was broadcast on TV, and there would be many more interesting activities in the wizarding world.
In fact, the technology for broadcasting images has been in the magical world for a long time, even earlier than that of Muggles, but it also has great limitations.
The broadcasting equipment is very expensive and needs to be operated by wizards at all times.
Their eyes are the cameras, and people can only see the area that the human eye is focused on.
After so many years, the technology has not improved at all.
Even the number of people who can make broadcasting equipment is getting smaller and smaller.
They are all antiques.
No wonder Nicolas Flamel looks down on the alchemists in the current magic world and they all have no ambition to make progress.
The two stayed in the dessert house until sunset before leaving and went to a Huxia restaurant near Diagon Alley.
It's still Cantonese cuisine. If you want to eat authentic Huxia food when you go abroad, the only option is Cantonese cuisine, especially in the UK and the Maple Leaf Country. Maybe the Cantonese cuisine here is even more authentic than that in Daxia.
But as for other cuisines... most of them have undergone major changes to cater to the local tastes, such as Zuo's Chicken Nuggets (the name cannot be typed, you know) and Li's Offal. If they were sold in Daxia, no one would buy them.
Qiu didn't expect that Tom also had a deep understanding of Huxia food, and his favorable impression of him increased a little. He said with some regret: "It's a pity that there is no authentic Gan cuisine restaurant here [otherwise I must ask you to try the chili there."
"Are you from Gan Province?" Tom asked curiously. He thought Qiu's hometown was in the coastal area.
"I didn't expect you'd heard of it."
The girl nodded happily, "Well, next time I'll get you some photos of my hometown, the scenery there is so beautiful.
After dinner, the two went to the Leaky Cauldron, where Qiu would go home via the Floo network.
Before parting, Tom took out a copy of "I Chat" and gave it to Qiu, telling her not to write letters by owl in the future, as it was inconvenient and dangerous.
What's the danger?
Of course there is the danger of being discovered...
Wouldn't Daphne have to keep nagging her for a month?
In a blink of an eye, it was the day when Tom was about to leave London for France. The night before he left, Mrs. Greengrass sent a message asking her to take him to visit the Bones family.
Tom took a few samples that he had prepared in advance, first went to Greengrass Manor via the Floo Network, and then went to Amelia Bones's home with Mrs. Greengrass.
Bones' home is in a small village in Manchester County.
Magic is set up around it, and other villagers have no idea that a witch lives here.
This is also the norm for wizards.
Although many of them live together with Muggles, the two sides are people from two different worlds and rarely have contact.
"You came at the right time."
The two stepped out of the fireplace, and Amelia Bones came up to them and said with a smile: "I just prepared dinner. My cooking skills are definitely not as good as those of the house elves, but it's edible.
"Who dares to say that the food cooked by the Director of the Law Enforcement Department is not as good as that of the elves?"
It can be seen that Mrs. Greengrass and Bones have a good relationship. This is the first time Tom has seen her joking with others.
Bones simply rolled his eyes at Mrs. Greengrass and asked the two to sit down.
The whole house is not big, with only two floors, but it is enough for Bones. Mrs. Greengrass had introduced her to Tom before. She is a single woman and she is the only one in the family. The task of continuing the family line falls on Susan's branch.
I don't know if it's because I don't want to or I haven't met the right person.
It was a simple meal of hamburger meat. The beef was fresh and juicy, and the sauce was delicious. However, he didn't like the baked beans as the main course and hardly touched them.
"Don't you like beans?" Bones also noticed Tom's picky eating behavior and said with a smile: "Susan told me that you are very picky about food, so you have a good relationship with the Abbott children. Now it seems that what she said is really accurate."
Tom didn't beat around the bush, "I still like rice, long-grain rice is best.
"Then I'll pay attention next time. Since you don't like staple foods, eat more meat." Bones waved his hand, and another plate of hamburger meat flew out of the kitchen.
Tom thanked him and took it.
After having a good meal and a few drinks, it's time to get down to business.
The three of them came to the living room, and Tom placed the three alchemical props he had prepared this time on the table.
A large glass ball, a cape, and a necklace.
"Three?" Bones asked with interest, "Do the functions of the three props all have the same function?"
"Hmm... there are two that are quite similar. Let me introduce them to you."
Tom picked up the bead first. "This bead can be called the Warning Eye.
Its effect is similar to that of a peephole.
A peephole will spin and glow if a suspicious person appears nearby.
The Warning Eye requires the wizard's magic to verify.
Once someone nearby has ill intentions towards you, the bead will glow and vibrate.
The effective detection range is about fifteen meters."
Tom has now mastered magic authentication to such an extent that even Nicolas Flamel is amazed. Based on this, many props that previously required complex technology to realize have become very simple after being customized in his hands.
"It's a very practical little thing." Bones affirmed, then looked at the cloak.
...****....
"Anti-spell cloak." Tom swung the cloak, and it flew to the clothes hanger at the door, followed by a spell.
The cloak that was hit flashed smoothly without any damage. Then there were several consecutive spells. By the fifth spell, the cloak immediately turned into pieces on the ground.
"Each cloak can resist five spells cast by normal wizards. Please note that these are normal wizards' regular spells. If the enemy is a dean-level warrior, or if the enemy uses the Killing Curse or other strange and undefendable black magic, then the effect will be greatly reduced."
Bones stood up and asked, "Are there any spare stocks? I want to try it myself."
Tom was well prepared and took out an anti-curse cloak. Bones took action himself and used five spells to break the cloak, which made Tom curl his lips.
Although Amelia Bones holds a high position of power, her real ability is not that great.
At most, he is at the level of an ordinary Auror.
"I suggest you give it to Alastor Moody for testing." Tom couldn't help but remind him. Bones' face froze and he heard the subtext.
"puff---!"
Mrs. Greengrass laughed unabashedly.
Bones glared at the beautiful woman who was gloating over her misfortune and changed the subject without leaving a trace: "Where is the necklace?"
0
"The necklace is expensive. It's not for Aurors." Tom shrugged. "It has a crystal that stores magic power. As long as it is not overloaded and shattered, it will absorb the magic power emitted by wizards."
"When the magic power is full, the defense is about five times that of the anti-spell cloak.
Even if you are besieged by ten wizards, you can still hold out for a while.
More importantly, once the magic crystal is broken, it will trigger the final Apparition spell, and will take you to a place two kilometers away."
After Tom finished talking about this series of functions, both Mrs. Greengrass and Bones' eyes lit up.
Can defend and escape.
This is simply a life-saving artifact.
The magic world also has props that can Apparate, but they are all family treasures.
"Tom, how much is this? I want ten." Mrs. Greengrass spoke first.
Bones was also envious, but she was not so rich. If she could afford it, she would buy one even if it cost her all her fortune.
The Director of the Department of Law Enforcement may seem glamorous and powerful, but in fact it is also an offensive job and is more hated than the Minister of Magic.
A law she randomly issued had cut off the financial resources of countless people and made those whose interests were damaged hate her to the core.
"Auntie, what are you talking about buying?" Tom waved his hand. "I have already prepared your portion. If you want more, you have to give me some time. This thing is not easy to make.
Mrs. Greengrass smiled and nodded.
That's right, family members don't have different opinions. Her two daughters have been abducted for more than a week, but she hasn't asked Tom to settle the score.
"Ms. Bones."
Tom pointed his wand at the warning eye. "Five thousand Galleons each."
"Protective cloak, twenty Galleons each."
"Guardian necklace? This thing can't actually be measured in Galleons anymore."
"But if you agree, I can sell the first two to the Ministry of Magic at half the price, and I can give you five guardian necklaces to use in developing your network.
This unexpected treatment not only did not make Bones lose her mind, but made her alert.
"Riddle, what do you want by making such a big concession?"
Tom smiled gently and said, "I don't have any conditions that I want right now, so just treat it as a political donation.
Bones' eyes narrowed.
Political donations to?
Chapter 192: Financial Sponsor Riddle, Embarrassed Uncle Newt
In Europe and the United States, both the Muggle world and the wizarding world are no strangers to political donations. Even a large part of the Ministry of Magic's expenses are covered by these donations.
Another big source of protection is Gringotts. Even though the goblins can run a very lucrative company, Gringotts has to pay a lot of protection fees every year.
Political donations do not necessarily involve monetary transactions.
The personal connections, political resources, and even certain conveniences provided are all considered a form of arbitration money.
Of course, the wizarding world is not as sophisticated as the Muggle world, and Malfoy's political donations are pure gold.
Either give it to Fudge and the Ministry of Magic, or give it to St Mungo's.
The resources Tom provided this time were not only of monetary value, but could also increase Bones' influence in the Ministry of Magic.
In name, the Auror Office is just a department under the Law Enforcement Department, but because it is a violent armed department, in reality Scrimgeour and Bones are almost equals.
Selling the first two types of standard equipment to the Ministry of Magic at a low price can win the hearts of the Aurors, at least they have a great liking for Bones.
Everyone likes a boss who can consider the safety of his subordinates.
As for the final guardian necklace, it takes the upper route.
The more powerful a person is, the more he fears death. The guardian necklace is almost like having an extra life, except when facing a very small number of powerful wizards.
Of the five protective necklaces, minus the one Bones kept for himself, the remaining four can play an unimaginable role, bringing her much greater benefits than the other two alchemical props.
After Tom finished speaking, he looked at Bones with a smile, waiting for her decision.
Bones thought for a while and then looked at Mrs. Greengrass. Their eyes met, and Mrs. Greengrass immediately shook her head.
"Amelia, you know the tradition of Greengrass. We never take sides."
"I am just Tom's guide today. All the decisions he makes and all the words he says are his own thoughts."
"But he..." Bones wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Mrs. Greengrass again.
"Twelve years old? What's that? Some people are born with wisdom that others can't imagine. Dumbledore, a fifth-year student, can chat and laugh with a group of centenarians. Why doesn't anyone think it's abnormal?"
"Okay." Bones looked at the three things on the table and nodded in agreement.
These things also prove that Tom cannot reason based on common sense.
"Mr. Riddle, I am really tempted by your offer." Bones took a deep breath and said frankly: "From the middle level to the senior level, the three products will allow me to take care of everyone's needs."
"But the more unconditional the conditions are, the more difficult they are."
"It's hard for me to accept such help without understanding your true intentions."
"Real intention?" Tom tilted his head and thought about how to say it so that Bones could understand what he meant.
"Ma'am, what kind of person do you think Fudge is?"
Bones was stunned. He didn't expect Tom to suddenly change the subject. But after thinking for a while, he said, "A very conservative and traditional minister who is dedicated to his duties."
Mrs. Greengrass sneered and translated for Tom: "He is an incompetent man who has no ability and has inherited the shortcomings of all the ministers. He also values power very much and is wary of anyone who might threaten his position."
After listening to this, Bones just lowered his head but did not refute.
What kind of person is Fudge... In fact, anyone with a little ability and brains in the Ministry of Magic knows that these shortcomings are nothing. [The most important thing is that he has ten advantages - good graphics.
Therefore, after so many years in office, there has been almost no change in the Ministry of Magic, and each department has used its own method to fool the Minister without causing any trouble.
"Auntie, your summary is really to the point." Tom gave Mrs. Greengrass a thumbs up, then sighed: "I'm not afraid of geniuses being lazy, I'm afraid of stupid people being diligent. In the far east, a hardworking emperor was diligent and stupid, and finally hung on a crooked tree."
"That's the kind of person Fudge is in my eyes, so... I hope the Ministry of Magic can have a minister who gets along well with me. That would save a lot of trouble."
"Privilege? I will use my magic to fight for it. The reason why I choose to support Ms. Bones is because after reading the Ministry of Magic materials given to me by my aunt, I found that only you and Barty Crouch are qualified to be ministers."
"If Scrimgeour is the next Minister of Magic, I heard from my aunt that Scrimgeour is very disgusted with my publication of "Chronicles of the Magical World". He thinks that I am subverting people's cognition and have ulterior motives, or even that I was instructed by Dumbledore."
"Do you think we will have a conflict after he takes office? To be pitiful, I support you only for self-protection and peace.
Bones fell into deep thought, trying to gauge how much sincerity Tom had in his words and what he was hiding.
But she knew too little about Tom, and the information she knew was superficial, so she couldn't analyze anything useful.
Bones could only say: "If these are all you want, I will be grateful for your help, but I want to make it clear that even if I succeed in the future, I will not give rewards against my principles or the law."
"But convenience within the rules is totally fine."
"I look forward to the day when you succeed." Tom stood up and shook hands with Bones who also stood up. The two had reached a deal.
From now on, he, Tom Riddle, is Bones's golden boy.
"It's getting late, so I'll go back with my aunt first. If the Ministry of Magic has any needs, or if you need more protection necklaces, you can contact me.
As soon as the words fell, the two disappeared in the emerald green flames.
The next day, Tom flew all the way to France. Rayquaza rolled happily beside him. Its flying speed, which seemed like it was playing, was much faster than Tom's. After flying for a distance, it would turn back. It was so energetic that it had no place to vent.
The reason why he chose to fly to the United States instead of Apparating was actually to allow Usachi to fly freely for a while.
As a result, they flew over the head without noticing, and Tom only discovered it when he arrived in Berlin. He then flew back with Usagi, which delayed a lot of time, and finally arrived at Nicolas Flamel's estate.
The first person to greet him was not Nico and Perenelle, but the guest Newt.
"Uncle Newt." Tom greeted with a smile, "You must thank me this time. If it weren't for the trouble I caused, Grandma Tina would not have let you leave the United States so easily."
Newt also laughed: "This is the first time I've heard someone talk about getting into trouble so confidently. If Tina hadn't explained it to me, I wouldn't have known that your article would cause so much trouble."
Uncle Newt's social phobia basically disappears when he faces his own people, and makes people feel relaxed and comfortable.
Of course, it was a rare opportunity to see Newt, so Tom cooperated and opened the study space. Grindelwald spoke beautifully in German again.
"I can actually handle it." Tom shrugged and ignored the noisy Old Den. Old Den and Newt walked side by side in the hallway, with mottled sunlight shining through the gorgeous mirrors, which was magnificent.
The boy suddenly moved closer and lowered his voice: "Really you didn't bring your suitcase?"
"Then you are not coming here to protect me, but I am protecting you.
Newt lowered his head somewhat unnaturally and said honestly: "I only brought a few little ones with me. If there is any accident, we can handle it."
"How did you manage to evade the French Ministry of Magic?"
"They haven't changed their review process for decades. I just let Owl deliver the box to Nico, so there is no risk...
"Tsk, I bet that as long as you appear in the outside world, there will definitely be Aurors secretly watching you."
"No need to bet, they were already following me when I came."
While chatting and laughing, they had entered an entertainment room where Nico was watching a movie in a rocking chair.
Tom lay down beside him as if he were at home and glanced at the huge screen.
"Dracula? Don't you think it's weird that a vampire story is made by a Muggle?"
Nico shook his head: "Although there are fictional elements, there are also real parts in the story. On the eve of Constantine being conquered by the Turks, the Church did take the initiative to convert some clergy into vampires in order to gain more powerful power to enhance their magic power.
"Unfortunately, the Turkic wizards were more powerful. Most of the vampires were destroyed, but a few still escaped. The screenwriter of this movie was one of them."
This is the benefit of chatting with an old antique like Nico. From time to time, you can hear some unheard-of secrets.
Christian fanatic transformed into a vampire?
The Vatican is really cruel to be able to do such a thing.
Tom stopped talking and stayed with Zu to watch the entire movie.
It wasn't until the ending song sounded that the lights in the room came on. The old man slightly adjusted the angle of his seat to straighten his back.
"After Christmas, those old friends will come over, and I will hold a three-day exchange meeting, taking this opportunity to promote your 'I Chat'."
"Did you find the Whomping Willow?"
"I found ten of them and now planted them in the back garden. However, they are of inferior quality to the one at Hogwarts and are only a dozen years old."
"These are all minor problems. I'll train them for a while when I get back."
"What progress have you made recently?" Nico asked again.
Tom talked about his gains. The current cost of the basic version of "I Chat" has reached 55 Galleons, excluding the Runespoor and the Whomping Willow, which has initially reached the standard of popularization.
Spending fifty-five Galleons, which is about a month's income for an adult wizard, to buy an instant messaging item, there will definitely be many people who will pay for it.
When more and more people use it, naturally many people will join in actively or passively.
Others can communicate in real time, why are you still using Owl?
As long as 4.3 has some social needs, no matter how painful it is, you must keep up with the pace of the times, otherwise you will gradually become alienated from society.
Nico was relieved, and he could tell there was something else behind Tom's words.
Basic version?
Does that mean there is an upgraded version now?
But Tom didn't say it now, and he didn't ask any further questions. He would know sooner or later.
Newt was obviously interested in how Tom solved the problem of runespoor reproduction, so Tom directly sold Snape out.
I heard that Snape succeeded in his research in less than a month.
Even Newt couldn't help but sigh: "Master of X medicine!"
"By the way, teacher." Tom smiled shyly, rubbing his hands nervously, "Can I bring two friends here?"
The old man immediately understood who Tom was referring to. "What a big deal! I told you not to think of yourself as a guest here. Perenelle has been wanting to meet your girlfriend for a long time."
Nico smiled evilly and winked at the boy, "Hey, you know how to play, but a half-blood veela is still a half-blood after all. The real one is..."
"Want to know what it feels like? I won't tell you. Just try it yourself and you'll know everything."
Tom didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Newt blushed.
A 600-year-old man is discussing this kind of issue with a 12-year-old boy. What kind of expression do you think the 100-year-old boy will have?
Chapter 193: Planting Whomping Willows All Over Hogwarts, And the Hibiscus That Was Even More Beautiful
Fleeing from the entertainment room in a panic, Newt urged Tom to take him to see the condition of the runespoor in order to avoid embarrassment.
After checking, Newt said to Tom: "Although I am more diligent than before, the success rate of pregnancy is not high."
"I see." Tom said immediately, "I will write to Snape and send him the Christmas present."
The strengthening potion is the bait. After using the first bottle, I felt the pleasure of becoming stronger from the inside out. Now if you have the chance to get another bottle, would you refuse it?
At least Snape would not refuse, because his desire for strength was far beyond that of ordinary people.
"You professors are really good."
Newt expressed his appreciation for Snape's integrity and took out his wand to help transform the living environment of the Runespoor territory to make it more suitable for their living.
Tom usually wouldn't notice these minor changes, but the effects of Newt's changes were significant.
The Runespoor snakes became more active, coming out from the big rocks and moving around outside.
The boy couldn't help but shook his head.
Newt had never hidden anything from him before, and he had also explained to me the key points of breeding the Admiral Runespoor Snake in great detail. He had also meticulously arranged everything according to what Newt had said, but there were still so many problems.
Some things really require talent. If you realize it, you realize it. Relying solely on textbooks and what teachers teach can only achieve an average level, and cannot reach the true top level.
"Are you going to plant the Whomping Willow here?" Newt looked at the leveled grass by the lake in the distance and guessed what Tom was thinking.
"Any questions?" Tom asked, noticing Newt's struggle.
"I know you plan to grow the Whomping Willow with a plant growth nutrient solution, but...natural is best."
"It's best for the Whomping Willow to grow in an area with abundant magic. Your little world is not perfect yet, and there are too few magical animals. If you really plant it here, you might as well leave it at home."
Many creatures only appear in magical environments, such as vixens and ghouls. These creatures are very common in wizard families, but are almost never found in Muggle families.
Tom thought for a moment and asked, "Uncle Newt, your little world should be okay, right?"
Newt nodded: "I can, but ten Whomping Willows are too many. I can help you grow five."
"Five is not bad." Tom said with a smile: "Nico is too old, and it is always risky to let him take care of such dangerous plants. You can help me raise five Whomping Willows.
"What about the rest?" Newt asked curiously.
"The rest will be planted at Hogwarts." Tom shrugged, and Newt was silent.
Five... no, six Whomping Willows surrounding Hogwarts, will that really not allow those Nigo students to awaken their ancestral genes?
"Will Dumbledore agree?" Newt looked at the boy suspiciously.
Tom smiled: "He will agree."
What made Tom happiest when he came to Nicolas Flamel's house?
Of course, you can use those complete and precious alchemical materials at will.
Mrs. Greengrass needs to protect the necklace to maintain her network, maybe she can trick a few more contracts back. Bones also needs to build momentum, he needs to make at least a dozen more to share, and Megatron also has a lot of room for upgrades.
When Tom entered the laboratory, it was like a mouse entering a rice warehouse or a sniffing mouse entering a vault, and he couldn't get out.
The next day, Nico was still waiting for him to have breakfast. Tuan came to the laboratory to catch someone at the elf's notice.
Seeing the precious materials randomly placed on the table and the pile of used material residues, Nicolas Flamel felt as if his eyes were darkening.
He finally understood what it meant for a son to sell his father's land without feeling sorry.
The old man cleared the table and pulled Tom out of the lab: "How can you stay in the lab like an old man at such a young age? There are beautiful girls waiting for you outside. Can you stand it?"
"The girl can't get away," Tom muttered. "I think you just feel sorry for the material."
Nicolas Flamel glared at him and said, "Yes, I am heartbroken that you have squandered my wealth accumulated over hundreds of years. I will give you all the materials after I die. I won't be able to see you and won't be annoyed by your actions."
If others heard this, they would be absolutely delighted. This was Nicolas Flamel's hundreds of years of savings, which could turn a poor guy into a wealthy man ranked among the top in the entire Europe.
But Tom pouted his lips in disdain: "That's still decades to wait, and I don't think I'll be able to use it by then."
Nicolas Flamel nearly choked to death.
You are waiting to eat my meal, right?
"Well said. If you say that again next time, don't blame me for making another Philosopher's Stone."
Tom became excited when he heard this. "Are you going to make the Philosopher's Stone? There are much more raw materials now than hundreds of years ago.
We can go to North America.
All the raw materials have escaped from the plantations.
I can grab some in each continent and I guarantee that no one will notice."
"Wait until you find the desire to keep me alive." Nicolas Flamel shook his head and ended the subject.
After breakfast, Tom was driven out by Madame Perenelle. Although she and Nicolas Flamel had lived in love for hundreds of years, she still felt helpless every time she saw Nicolas neglecting his sleep and food because of alchemy.
She doesn't want Tom to become like this. Young people should play more and enjoy more. Otherwise, what's the point of becoming like Nico, where he can only satisfy his eyes.
If Fleur is not brought back, Tom will not come back.
The boy standing at Furong's door scratched his head.
Today is Christmas Eve, how could he kidnap Fleur? Mr. Delacour would have to fight him.
But... maybe it's okay to just take a small one?
Just as Tom was thinking, the door opened and a little guy rushed in.
"Ouch."
Tom reached out to hold up the little girl who had just lost her balance after using the rocket headbutt, "Gabriel, you're not afraid of falling.
The little girl giggled, "I know Tom will catch me!"
Tom pretended to be angry and pinched her little face, "Why don't you call me brother?"
"Because my sister didn't call me, Bree didn't call me either."1
"Well, I'll let your sister call Tom brother later."
"Hmm?" Furong, wearing a deep blue high-waisted dress, walked over slowly and said in a feigned anger, "You still want me to call you brother?"
But the corners of his mouth couldn't be pressed down no matter how hard he tried.
Tom looked at the girl and smiled.
After not seeing her for half a year, Furong looked like a beautiful flower in bud that had just bloomed a little more. Her appearance was so perfect that many people would feel ashamed of themselves.
The beauty of Veela is too standardized.
After seeing them for a long time, you will find that most of them look similar and have no unique charm of their own.
However, Furong's beauty is equally aggressive and has its own characteristics, especially her eyes, which can make people's hearts sway after just a few seconds of looking at each other.
"No way?" Tom raised his eyebrows and walked into the room holding the little Loli. The room was no longer warm, but a little hot. No wonder Furong dared to wear a skirt at home.
"You've grown so fast." Furong couldn't help but say as she looked at Tom's back.
When they first met, Tom was much shorter than her, but after he went out to slay a dragon, he was almost the same height. Now, a year has passed, Tom's height has surpassed her.
"It's okay that I'm growing fast, but you shouldn't grow any more, or you'll become big-boned and ugly."
"Tom is here, please sit down and have some snacks first, and dinner will be ready soon."
Mrs. Delacour brought out a plate of dessert cookies from the kitchen. Tom thanked her politely and shared one with Gabrielle.
Furong had completely lost her temper with this lolita control and could only remind her: "Gabrielle had already eaten a lot before you came. Don't feed her too much, or she will become a little fat pig."
"It's okay. The child is fat and it's easy to lose weight."
"Wow! I don't want to be a pig!"
Tom didn't care, but Gabrielle refused to accept it. She quickly stuffed the last three macarons into her mouth and covered her eyes to avoid looking at the dessert tower.
"You are really stingy." Tom pointed at Furong, and the girl smiled proudly.
In order not to turn into a fat pig, Gabrielle took out the homework assigned by school and started to do the jigsaw puzzle seriously.
Furong was finally able to have a good chat with Tom for a while.
Poor Mr. Delacour is still working overtime. The good news is that he can make it to today's dinner, but the bad news is... he may only make it to the tail end, because he can't go home until 8 o'clock.
But Fleur had long been accustomed to it. She chatted with Tom about school matters, and also inquired about the news of the Greengrass sisters and Hermione intentionally or unintentionally.
But what she didn't know was that her version was already a little behind the times.
"So you waited until yesterday to come here just to keep them company?"
"No." Tom complained loudly, "I have a lot of things to arrange for my new home, and I haven't finished them yet. The teacher also assigns a lot of tasks every day. The holidays are even busier than school."
"There are still a lot of things that haven't been done yet. I have to work overtime when I get home."
Tom also wanted to have an intelligent control system for his entire home like Nicolas Flamel, but the workload was too huge. So far, he has only renovated the living room and kitchen 520, and has not touched other places.
Furong was indignant for Tom: "You are not allowed to rest for a few days even though it is already the holiday. Isn't this city too unreasonable?"
Tom nodded repeatedly: "They are really inhuman, but I can't resist them. When I become stronger, I will definitely take care of them.
A dark devil cannot be regarded as a human being, and an old antique has not been regarded as a human being for thousands of years.
The most important thing is that he has not opened the study space yet, so he is not afraid that Andros and Grindelwald might hear about it.
"You just talk nonsense." Furong disagreed, "Even if the teacher is strict, it's for your own good. I still want such a strong and responsible teacher, but unfortunately my talent is not appreciated at all."
Fleur was almost certain that the teacher Tom was referring to was Dumbledore. After all, apart from this recognized master of magic, she really couldn't think of anyone else who could teach such a perverted student like Tom.
"Brother, play fishing with me!" The two talked for a while. Gabrielle got bored of playing alone, so she waved the toy fishing rod in her hand and shouted.
Of course Tom chose to meet the little girl's request, decisively abandoned Furong, sat on the stall, picked up another fishing rod and competed with Gabrielle in fishing for small fish.
There are magical fish in the toy pond that will bite as long as the hook is stable for a period of time.
Tom caught fish one by one, but Gabrielle didn't catch any for a long time. The anxious little girl was about to cry and quickly called her sister to help.
The defeat was not so bad because the sisters fought together.
"Children, it's time to eat!" Lady Delacour prepared a sumptuous dinner.
Fatty foie gras, beef stew in red wine, duck confit, fish soup, and Saint-Jacques scallops are all representative dishes of French cuisine.
Usually it was Fleur who looked after Gabrielle, but with Tom coming today, Fleur was freed up.
Mrs. Delacour, all the dishes were good. Tom's favorite was the Marseille fish soup, which was eaten with garlic bread smeared with mayonnaise and soaked in the soup. The taste was very rich.
When they were halfway through their meal, Mr. Delacour finally arrived, exhausted.
He gave Tom a warm hug before sitting down next to Lady Delacour.
While everyone was gathered, Tom also told everyone about Nicolas Flamel's invitation.
Chapter 194: Professor Mcgonagall's Hard Work, Fire God Leads the Way
"Nicolas Flamel?" exclaimed Mr. and Mrs. Delacour at the same time.
"Mr. Nicolas Flamel was your teacher?"
"Isn't he dead?"
The two of them asked different questions. Tom looked at Furong in confusion, and Furong stuck out her tongue playfully:
"Didn't you say not to tell anyone about Mr. Nicolas Flamel?"
Tom smiled apologetically at the dazed Delacour couple: "It's my fault, I should have explained it clearly to my uncle and aunt.
He really liked the girl's personality.
Furong was as proud as a phoenix in front of others. Even though she often quarreled with Tom, she was particularly obedient on major issues.
Tom told her not to tell anyone else, and she agreed and didn't even tell her parents.
Until now, the Delacour couple didn't know the relationship between him and Nico.
"It's like this, uncle and aunt." Tom explained: "Nico became my alchemy teacher last summer. The news of his death was just an external announcement. In fact, the teacher's health is still pretty good. It won't be a problem for him to live for at least a few more decades."
"The reason why he announced his death and donated part of his property to Beauxbatons was just to keep the peace and to prevent those dark wizards from always staring at him."
In October, Nicolas Flamel's funeral became a hot topic, with newspapers in almost every country in Europe reporting that "many big shots came to attend the funeral of the greatest alchemist.
But is it true?
Tom's mouth twitched as he thought of something.
Tom took out the dragon leather bag and rummaged around for a while, then pulled out a photo and handed it to Mr. Delacour.
"You will understand after you have read it."
Lady Delacour also came over curiously. When they saw the photo clearly, they were stunned at first, and then had strange expressions. They wanted to laugh but couldn't, and they were very painful in suppressing their emotions.
"What on earth is that?"
Seeing the two people's strange behavior, Furong simply ran over and had the same expression. She looked at Tom in disbelief: "Is this Mr. Nicolas Flamel?"
"Yes, he sent it to me as a souvenir."
Furong nodded numbly: "Attending his own funeral and taking a photo with his own corpse is indeed worth commemorating.
In the photo, Nicolas Flamel and his wife are lying in a spacious coffin with their eyes closed, looking peaceful.
Outside, another couple, Nicolas Flamel and his wife, smiled brightly at the camera and made a "yeah" gesture with their hands, immediately turning a serious funeral photo into a horror movie.
Tom was also numb when he received the photos.
People can be down-to-earth, but don't be too down-to-earth. This photo is so scary that anyone who sees it will feel creepy.
The two substitutes were so real that it was impossible to tell them apart. There were also many curses attached to them, just waiting to trick the tomb robbers.
"I didn't expect Mr. Nicolas Flamel to be... quite interesting."
After all, he was the pride of French wizards, and Mr. Delacour couldn't help but defend Nicolas Flamel's image, even though this image had been almost shattered.
He then became very happy: "Fleur can actually meet Mr. Flamel? It is really her honor, all thanks to you, Fleur, when you go to Mr. Flamel's house, you must pay attention to your behavior and don't let people think that we Delacour don't know etiquette, understand?" [?"
"I understand, Dad." He nodded seriously.
"I want to go too!" Gabrielle, with her mouth full of butter, refused to do so. Although she didn't know who Nicolas Flamel was, she understood that her sister was going somewhere with Tom and would leave her behind, so she became anxious.
Lady Delacour was about to reprimand her, but Tom smiled and patted her head:
"I will definitely take Gabrielle with me. Grandpa Nico and Grandma Perenelle will definitely like the lovely Gabrielle."
"Yeah! Gabrielle is cuter than her sister!"
Furong's face darkened.
After declining the invitation to stay overnight and agreeing to pick up Sister Fleur the next afternoon, Tom returned to Nicolas Flamel Manor.
Nico and Perenelle have celebrated Christmas for hundreds of years and have no feelings for this kind of holiday anymore, but Newt came all the way from America, and he had to spend the holiday with Uncle Newt.
There was also Ariana in the evening, and if he stayed at Delacour's house, he would definitely be pestered by Gabrielle.
When it comes to time management, Tom is becoming more and more adept.
After returning to the manor, the three old men were sitting comfortably in the constant temperature pavilion admiring the snow scene outside. There were two bottles of wine and some snacks on the table.
"Wow, you really know how to enjoy yourself." Tom teased when he came in.
Madame Perenelle looked behind the young man and saw that there was no one there. Her face immediately turned serious. "Didn't we agree that you wouldn't come in unless I brought the person back?"
"Don't worry, old lady." Tom smiled and sat down on the empty seat next to the old lady. "Today is Christmas Eve. You can't let me rob her and run away, right?"
"Tomorrow, tomorrow afternoon, I will bring the person back.
The old lady was satisfied.
Tom accompanied the three old men to finish a bottle of Bordeaux red wine before returning to the bedroom and entering the study space.
Various Christmas decorations have been set up outside the meditation house. Andros and Grindelwald don't care about this, but Ariana is different. Girls of this age always attach great importance to festivals.
We stayed with her until very late, and the group ended a busy day.
The next morning, Tom was woken up by Usagi. The soft velvet carpet was filled with gift packages. These were the gifts that Usagi had brought back from England earlier. Fortunately, he had storage space in his stomach, otherwise his little paws wouldn't be able to hold all the boxes.
Opening presents must be done on Christmas morning to feel happy.
As usual, Tom started to record those who did not give gifts, and then started to open the gifts of ordinary classmates. There is nothing much to say about these, as they are all very ordinary things.
Sabini gave some precious herbs, including the resurrection grass and golden okra that Tom was looking for. Nott gave copies of the books in his family's collection, most of which were about some historical secrets.
Rozier was still simple and crude, but this time the amount was increased to five hundred Galleons.
Then came the gifts from the deans.
Tom didn't receive any gifts from his professors last year, but because he gave gifts from the deans last year, he received gifts in return this year.
Snape....what the hell, what does it mean to send me a piece of bezoar? Are you wishing me to get gallstones?
Professor Flitwick sent a large box of magic fireworks. After the explosion, the fireworks can be combined into firework fairies and perform a graceful dance.
Professor Sprout's gift was a bag of those biting kale seeds that Tom had hinted at so many times.
Professor McGonagall sent a copy of her Transfiguration notebooks. These were not notebooks from her youth, but a complete collection of experiences compiled over the past two years [containing the experience gained by ten Transfiguration masters].
Tom was shocked when he first saw it. Isn't it too much of a gift to give at Christmas?
It wasn't until he read the letter that came with the gift that Tom understood what was going on.
This is not only a Christmas gift, but also a reward from Professor McGonagall to Tom. The fantasy potion has passed the verification and will soon appear in the magazine "Today's Transfiguration", and the school will also produce a batch for students to use.
This note, which contains so much effort, is actually also considered as a licensing fee?
Professor McGonagall is really great to his students, as he uses his life's achievements to exchange for a better future for them.
Finally, Tom set his sights on Dumbledore's gift.
"Old Deng, Old Deng, Professor McGonagall, the vice-president, has done so much for the school. You, the principal, can't do anything wrong, right?"
"If you really want to give me a perfunctory answer, then Hogwarts should be in trouble."
After unpacking, there was still a notebook inside. Compared with the thickness of Professor McGonagall's notebook, this one was very thin, with only about ten pages.
Tom turned to the first page and found that the Christmas gift from Dumbledore was a spell - Vulcan Opens the Way.
The boy's eyes suddenly lit up.
Grindelwald is a master at playing with fire, so is Dumbledore?
The spell of Vulcan made a way for him was still fresh in his memory. It was the last highlight in Dumbledore's life.
First, he was ambushed by the dark magic on the Resurrection Stone, and his life entered a countdown, and one of his hands was crippled. Then, he drank the potion prepared by Voldemort and got the fake locket.
In this state of low health, he directly split the lake.
Not only was Dumbledore exaggerating, the spell was equally exaggerating.
Tom immediately put everything else aside and studied Vulcan's way seriously.
Except for the first page, the rest are all spells and their explanations. [Among the magic Tom has learned, the ancient magic passed down by Andros is more complicated than this magic.
As he watched, the boy's expression became strange.
This Vulcan is clearing the way...Isn't his real purpose to attack Grindelwald?
Otherwise, why would Dumbledore emphasize that this magic was very effective against Fiendfyre, not only suppressing its flames, but even devouring it and feeding it back to itself, thus increasing the power of the spell?
Open the study space and call Grindelwald.
Grindelwald, who was drinking tea with Andros, heard Tom's voice coming from the sky.
Lao Ge, do you know the magic of the God of Fire opening the way?"
"++!"
Spider's End, London.
Snape's home was located at the deepest part of Spinner's End Alley. Christmas was not a special day for Snape. He got up at eight o'clock as usual, and with a glance, he saw very few gifts on the ground.
Apart from a few deans and that old man with a bad taste (Ma Zhao Hao), no one would give him gifts. Oh, no, Lucius does give him gifts every year.
But why does it seem like there are more of them this year than usual?
The first thing Snape noticed was naturally the largest box, which turned out to be a gift from Greengrass. But when he opened it, Snape's good mood for the day disappeared.
You gave me a trash can?
But Daphne had written very clearly that these trash cans were to be placed in the Potions classroom to facilitate the collection of waste residues.
This was indeed done out of good intentions, and it could really be used. "Every time the students finished their classes, Snape would be furious when he saw the cleanliness of the classroom.
So this gift...can't be said to be a bad one, it's just a little weird to be given at Christmas.
Soon, Snape became even more upset because he saw the gift Riddle had sent.
Snape sneered.
The book Riddle gave him last year made him sick - How to Get the Girl You Like
If this book had been given to him decades ago, he would definitely be grateful, but it is of no use to him now.
He just didn't believe that the gift Riddle gave him this year could be more disgusting than last year.
With this belief, Snape calmly opened the package. Sure enough, this year's gift was another book.
Book title: "Qingmei Falls in Love with Her Enemy"
"f**k! Riddle!"
"I'm going to kill you! Killing you a thousand times won't be enough!"
There is one less chapter today, so please take it easy. I will resume the normal three chapters tomorrow.