— — — — — —
The next day at nine in the morning, Castelobruxo's headmaster Sanchez and Potions professor Isabella arrived punctually at Tom's London home, invitation in hand.
The gates slowly opened, and a house-elf led them to the back garden.
Tom, who had been grinding coffee beans, set aside his tools and stepped forward with a smile. "Professor Sanchez, Professor Isabella, welcome to my humble home."
The friendly attitude left both of them somewhat flattered.
The famously arrogant Tom Riddle being this polite to them? Who would believe that?
But to Tom, it was perfectly normal.
He acted arrogant because he had the strength and confidence to back it up. Showing toughness to the outside world avoided a lot of unnecessary trouble. But that didn't mean he lacked manners.
If he agreed to let someone visit and still acted like he ruled the world, that wouldn't be arrogance. It would just be bad upbringing.
Of course, if the discussion fell apart later, he wouldn't hesitate to turn hostile either.
He led the two to their seats and continued fiddling with his coffee beans. Before long, two cups of coffee floated gently over.
"Please give it a try and tell me whether my beans are authentic."
Sanchez and Isabella didn't refuse. They each took a sip. Soon, Sanchez smiled.
"Old Bourbon variety, medium roast. Very authentic flavor. The acidity is almost completely removed. Mr. Riddle, these are excellent beans."
Isabella nodded and added, "I'd bet they're from Minas Gerais. The transport preserved them very well. If I'd known you had beans this good, I wouldn't have had to endure Hogwarts' sour coffee."
Tom gave them a thumbs-up. "Experts indeed. I brought these specially from an elder's home to entertain you. I honestly can't taste much difference myself."
At that moment, Nicolas Flamel was probably cursing somewhere in the house. He was constantly being looted for his stash.
"This really feels like home," Sanchez said, holding the cup and swaying slightly.
Tom just smiled without responding.
Brazil exported nearly forty percent of the world's coffee beans every year. You could drink them anywhere. The only difference was quality. And Sanchez was already tying it to the taste of home?
His guard went up even higher. For a headmaster like Sanchez to flatter him so shamelessly meant they were asking for something big.
Outwardly, though, Tom remained calm and kept chatting about coffee.
He wasn't in a hurry. The anxious one should be Sanchez.
Sure enough, after half an hour of coffee talk, he couldn't sit still anymore.
"Mr. Riddle, if you're interested in coffee, I can send you a few books from the school. They're written by masters of farming and roasting. I'm not really an expert myself."
"Sounds great." Tom agreed immediately, then said nothing more.
Sanchez gritted his teeth and pressed on. "Actually… Mr. Riddle, I came today to ask for a favor. I'd like to purchase another batch of basilisk flesh and blood from you. The more, the better."
"You can name your conditions directly. As long as it's within our ability, Castelobruxo will agree."
Thunk.
Tom set the long-cold coffee cup down on the table. After thinking for a moment, he looked at Isabella.
"Professor Isabella, I remember you said you needed the flesh and blood to explore a ruin."
"Has that still not ended?"
Isabella didn't answer. She glanced at Sanchez instead.
Sanchez looked troubled. "Do we have to answer that?"
"No." The boy refused bluntly. "You have the right not to answer. I have the right to refuse the deal. You want basilisk flesh? Fine. I still have some stock. But you need to tell me the real situation."
Because of the Aztec ruins, he was now interested in any ancient site. There was no way he would pass up this opportunity.
Seeing how firm he was, Sanchez sighed inwardly. He knew that if he didn't reveal something substantial today, they weren't getting past this point.
...
..
Castelobruxo is the wizarding school of South America, located deep within the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. It is almost impossible to find, even for wizards.
And if it's almost for wizards, it is completely impossible for Muggles. To them, the site appears as nothing more than an ancient stone ruin swallowed by dense jungle vegetation. The illusion is carefully maintained, ensuring the school remains fully concealed from non-magical eyes, even with modern technology.
Unlike Hogwarts, Castelobruxo resembles more a temple than a traditional castle. The building is not simply placed within the jungle; it feels integrated into it, as though the forest and the structure were designed together.
Castelobruxo takes students from across South America, and its curriculum reflects its environment. There is a strong emphasis on magizoology, herbology, and magical studies connected to nature and healing. Many of its graduates are known for their expertise in magical creatures and plant life, fields that thrive in the rich biodiversity of the Amazon region.
One of the school's most remarkable areas of magical study involves transformation. Unlike Animagi, this form of transformation is far more advanced and allows a wizard to take the form of certain magical creatures. However, it is not a simple spell—each transformation requires a specially brewed potion containing materials sourced from the specific creature the caster wishes to become.
The school is also famously protected by Caipora, mischievous spirit-like guardians of the forest who are said to watch over both the jungle and the students.
...
Recalling everything he knew about Castelobruxo, Tom studied Sanchez in silence, letting the man speak first.
At last, Sanchez broke it.
"Mr. Riddle," he said carefully, "have you ever heard of the Amazon ruins?"
.
.
.