The Hogwarts Express was due to depart in a few minutes. Nagini and the others had returned to the station shortly before boarding.
"Sir, he got away. How are we going to find him?" Harry asked, frustration evident.
He took a swig of soda, but the icy drink only slightly cooled his temper.
"Relax, Scarhead," Malfoy drawled, sipping his juice. "He's bound to stir up trouble. With so many wizards looking for him, if he makes a move, he'll be discovered, and we can pounce."
Harry nodded, somewhat appeased by Malfoy's logic. Apparition or Portkeys could get them anywhere quickly if they were truly pressed for time. The train was simply a matter of convenience.
"So, Tom Riddle, where are we going now?" Nagini asked, casually producing a bottle of fruit liqueur from her bag and handing it to Tom Riddle.
"Inverness." Tom Riddle took the drink, twisted open the cap, and took a sip.
Nestled in Tom Riddle's arms, Cassandra reached for the drink. "Inverness? Isn't that the northernmost city in England? Why would Voldemort go there?"
"He won't be going there." Tom Riddle looked ruefully at the fruit-flavored drink Cassandra was now happily sipping. That was mine... "I know what he wants, so I have a rough idea of where he'll go, but there's no rush. He needs time, and we still have time. Before that, I plan to go to Inverness."
The others exchanged glances, understanding Tom Riddle's strategy in principle but still utterly baffled as to why he wanted to go to Inverness.
It doesn't matter; we'll find out later.
Unlike the others, Grindelwald was preoccupied with a more pressing concern. He stared at the unlabeled, carelessly filled plastic bottle of mineral water in his hand. What is this?
Why was he the only one without a proper beverage?
Fine, this 'mineral water' isn't even filtered! I think I saw pebbles in it!
"Professor Grindelwald, aren't you thirsty?" Harry asked with mock innocence. "Professor Nagini bought this especially for you."
Don't blame me, Professor Grindelwald; Death Eaters always side with their own. Did you think you could fool Professor Nagini?
Grindelwald felt his intelligence being insulted.
"Exactly!" Malfoy chimed in. "She kindly brought you a drink, and you're not even grateful? What an impolite old man!"
Grindelwald considered complaining to Dumbledore, but the certainty that Dumbledore would join in on the "bullying" immediately quashed the idea.
He glanced at Nagini, who met his gaze with cold indifference before looking away.
Well, looks like the next few days won't be comfortable.
"...Sigh~"
Grindelwald sighed but quickly regained his composure. It was just a childish prank; it wouldn't kill him. What was there to fear?
He unscrewed the "mineral water" bottle and took a sip... Yes, there's definitely sand.
However, Grindelwald only frowned slightly. After all, the amount of sand was far less than what he had consumed in Nurmengard.
Back in Nurmengard, aside from the food the Ministry sent, the water was practically yellow.
Understandable, though; those wizards probably wanted me dead, but they were too cowardly to do it themselves.
"Tsk, not bad, quite sweet."
A little bit of grit in river water meant nothing to a wizard.
Besides, Grindelwald knew very well that with such tender-hearted people, he could simply play on their compassion.
Resisting would only lead to more trouble, and if he played along... hadn't he noticed that Nagini's gaze towards him had softened, if only slightly?
As it turned out, Grindelwald was right.
After seeing Grindelwald drink the river water she had casually scooped up and compliment it, Nagini even began to wonder if she had been too harsh.
"Don't be fooled by this old man; he's just putting on an act for you," Tom Riddle said quietly, reminding her.
Nagini's expression instantly hardened, now laced with displeasure.
"..."
Tom Riddle, I hate you, Grindelwald thought.
A short while later, the surrounding crowd began to stir, grabbing luggage, straightening coats and skirts, all moving towards the train.
Whoosh—
The Hogwarts Express had arrived.
...
In a gloomy, seemingly deserted town on the outskirts of southwest England, in an old villa, there were no lights, no fireplace, only a sliver of moonlight filtering through the window for illumination.
A dark figure sat on an old, lumpy sofa, facing the eerie graveyard outside the French windows, where crows occasionally took flight or perched on the withered trees with their shrill cries.
Click.
The door opened.
Darren Travers, looking travel-worn, quickly tidied himself and entered, showing a mixture of fear and respect.
"Master." Darren stopped about three meters behind the figure.
He lowered his head, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the dangerous wizard on the sofa.
Although the figure had his back to him, and the room was dark, Darren spotted his master immediately.
Because his master's bare head was visible.
A few rays of moonlight streamed into the room, illuminating the pale, bald head... almost reflecting light?
"Travers," the remnant soul's voice was like gravel.
Darren quickly lowered his head further.
"Tell me, have you found it?" Voldemort's remnant soul's scarlet eyes gleamed dangerously in the dim light. "Don't tell me you haven't found anything."
"No, Master! We have found a place that meets your requirements." Darren's voice trembled slightly. "It's in Salisbury, on the plain. There's a strange place surrounded by megaliths, called Stonehenge."
"No one knows who built it or why, but it has existed for thousands of years."
"Moreover, the artifact you gave me reacted when I approached it, Master."
"I believe that must be the place you're looking for."
"..."
Voldemort's remnant soul didn't respond, but pondered.
He didn't doubt Darren's words, as he was incapable of lying.
From what Darren said, he could deduce that Stonehenge met his requirements, most likely built by some ancient wizard.
But he was thinking about something else: He needed time…
"Is anyone nearby?" He needed to know if he would be easily noticed while casting magic.
"Reporting to Master, there is no one living within dozens of kilometers of Stonehenge."
Hearing this, Voldemort's remnant soul relaxed slightly.
"But..."
"But?" Voldemort's remnant soul frowned, his heart tightening again.
"It's a tourist attraction."
"..."
---