Ah.. Ho.. me.. wo... rk..
Wade only now remembered the summer homework.
It couldn't be helped—he hadn't had to write summer assignments in a very long time.
And with so much to do over the break, he had completely forgotten homework was even a thing…
"Ahaha~ You'd better finish it quickly, Wade…" Dumbledore said helplessly.
He honestly felt Wade should've been in Gryffindor. With a personality this playful and bold, how did he end up in Slytherin?
"Well then, I won't ask about your homework anymore. That's not exactly a pleasant topic during the holidays… I actually came today to tell you both some good news," said Dumbledore.
Tom asked, "What good news? Wade got expelled?"
"Can't you wish me well for once? You really want me gone that badly?" Wade asked darkly.
"Heh…" Tom didn't respond—he just smiled.
If Wade really were expelled, that would be good news to him.
First, there'd be no one to compete with him for first place anymore. Second… the SMASH Society's foundation would be his for the taking!
Dumbledore smiled as he watched them bicker. Once they quieted down, he finally said, "It's neither of those."
"The good news is, starting today, you're free to go out whenever you like."
Wade and Tom exchanged a look. "You mean… Grindelwald's been arrested?"
"Not quite," Dumbledore said with a smile. "But… he's put a shackle on himself. From now on, there are a lot of things he can no longer do. Of course, if he does try anything, his flawless image will be shattered—which would be good news for everyone."
Wade understood what Dumbledore meant.
If Grindelwald wanted to play the good guy now, he couldn't do bad things—not even in secret. Especially not with Dumbledore watching him like a hawk.
"That's great! I've been meaning to visit Mr. Scamander!" Wade said cheerfully.
As a former biologist, Wade always had endless things to talk about with someone like Newt, a master of magical creatures.
Besides, that mutated geranium and Tomcat… he might be able to get some advice from Newt.
"I'd like to go back and visit my grandfather as well," Tom said calmly.
Of course, Tom wasn't going for sentimental reasons—he needed the Riddle patriarch's money.
It was time… to have a laboratory of his own!
However, in Dumbledore's ears, those words sounded quite comforting.
Hmm hmm! This child Tom… is beginning to understand what love means.
"But the address of the safe house should still be kept secret," Dumbledore said as he pulled out two vivid red feathers from his robes.
"These are tail feathers from Fawkes… I've turned them into Portkeys. Portkeys made from phoenix feathers have special properties. In an emergency, they'll help you return here instantly. They're easy to activate—just grip the base of the feather tightly."
Wade and Tom took the feathers.
Tom felt a lot more at ease now. If anything dangerous happened, at least they'd have a reliable way to retreat.
Wade looked thoughtfully at the phoenix feather in his hand.
He suddenly began to suspect that Dumbledore's announcement about lifting the confinement wasn't quite so simple...
Could the old man be planning to use him and Tom… as bait?
Bait to lure Grindelwald into making a mistake.
...
Dumbledore didn't linger and soon left the safe house.
Since the outside world was theoretically safe now...
Tom glanced at Wade. He had originally planned to leave this wretched place immediately to avoid seeing that bastard every day.
But... Tom reached up and touched his bald head, then reluctantly decided to endure it for a while longer.
He didn't want his grandfather or the others to see him looking this ridiculous—especially since there wasn't much familial affection between him and those relatives anyway.
Just as Tom was calculating how much longer he'd have to stay here, Wade's infuriating voice drifted over from the side.
"Well? Feels pretty good, doesn't it? So smooth and shiny—and you hardly even polished it. How is it so glossy?"
(╬▔皿▔) Tom was livid, but he held back his fury, gathered his books, and headed straight back to his room.
Until the toxins in his scalp were completely gone and his hair started growing back, there was no way he was taking even a single step out of that room.
"Tom! I really think you were born to be bald! It's like a gift from above! Are you seriously going to waste that kind of talent?"
Tom instinctively quickened his pace, hurrying up the stairs.
"How about just never growing your hair again? Just keep it bald!"
From downstairs, Wade could hear Tom's footsteps—and even caught the sound of him tripping slightly on the last step.
Pfft~
That alone was enough to show how badly the boy wanted to get away from him.
Still, Wade didn't feel he was being too hard on Tom.
Tom had always been proud and arrogant by nature. If you wanted him to walk the right path and reap greater benefits in the future, you had to crush that pride now while you still could.
Only by thoroughly breaking his arrogance could you instill a sense of fear in him. With fear came restraint, and only with restraint could he let go of that "I am above all" mindset.
That way, he wouldn't act recklessly just because he had power—he'd stay sharp and clear-headed.
Because he'd always remember there was someone stronger than him, stomping firmly on his head... pfft.. bald head.. ehm..
That was the role Wade intended to play: the ever-present sword of Damocles hanging above Tom's head, ready to fall at any moment.
Come to think of it, it was rather similar to what Dumbledore was doing to Grindelwald now.
This time, with the house arrest lifted, it was technically Tom's first real taste of "freedom" since starting school.
Because, this time, Wade wouldn't be tagging along.
Still, knowing Tom's personality, he didn't yet have the power he needed—so even without supervision, he probably wouldn't dare do anything too outrageous.
So Wade could rest easy and begin planning his own itinerary.
First, he needed to return to the Somnolen Wizard Tower and finish taming that mutated Venomous Tentacula.
After that, he would visit Newt Scamander.
At Newt's place, Wade was confident he'd be able to see magical creatures he wouldn't find anywhere else.
And that was incredibly important to him.
Three days later, Tom—his head now full of smooth, flowing black hair—grabbed his suitcase and vanished into the fireplace without hesitation.
He moved with such urgency, it looked like a tiger was chasing him from behind.
He didn't dare slow down. What if that bastard Wade suddenly said he wanted to tag along?
Thankfully, Wade seemed genuinely busy this time and hadn't made such a suggestion.
He hadn't even seen Wade on his way out.
________
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