Tom turned to see a squad of figures in black trench coats, wands drawn and aimed directly at them. Recognizing the danger of revealing himself, Dumbledore subtly retreated, pulling Gabrielle with him.
"So, you thought I'd simply accept that? Where would be the fun in that?" A flicker of amusement danced in Tom's eyes, a faint smile curving his lips. "Who do you think you are?"
The leader of the black-clad figures glared, clearly annoyed. "Do you dare interfere in my affairs?"
One of his underlings stepped forward, nervously offering the man a newspaper. The leader glanced at it, his eyes widening. The front page was dominated by an image of Tom, wreathed in Fiendfyre, with the screaming headline: "Mysterious Man Resurrected, Wizarding World in Turmoil!"
You see, Tom mused, although Voldemort was criticized for failing to conquer a school, Hogwarts was the only one he hadn't taken. And it wasn't just Europe; Death Eater activity was now spreading even to the Americas.
The leader continued to stare at Tom, then at the newspaper, his expression shifting to disbelief. Finally, a forced smile stretched across his face. "Sir," he began, his voice strained, "would you believe me if I said I was just passing through?"
Tom didn't reply. He moved forward slowly, the smile on his face a death sentence to the man in black. Reaching him, Tom raised his left hand, as if to place it on the man's head.
The leader flinched, but Tom's next words brought a flicker of relief. "Good boy…of course, I believe you."
Tom's hand landed on the man's head.
Blazing…
A crimson flame erupted, consuming the leader in an instant, reducing him to ashes. Tom coldly surveyed the charred remains, his tone flat. "What does my belief in you have to do with whether I kill you or not?"
"..."
"Ah!!!"
Bang, bang…
Nearby Muggles, witnessing the sudden "self-immolation," erupted in panic, scattering in all directions. One car swerved and crashed into a fire hydrant, which exploded in a geyser of water.
Tom ignored the chaos, turning his gaze to the remaining, terrified figures in black. "Well? Aren't you going to erase their memories? Isn't that your job?... Mr. Aurors."
"…Huh?...Oh, oh!"
Snapping out of their stupor, the Aurors frantically drew their wands, rushing to erase the memories of the witnesses and repair the damage.
Dumbledore watched the scene unfold, a deep frown etched on his face. He, too, had used Legilimency and knew the Aurors' little secret: Gabrielle, out for a stroll with her bodyguards, had stumbled upon the Aurors' shady dealings. Appalled that they chased a child under ten, Gabrielle escaped thanks to her bodyguards, leading to the present confrontation.
Tom turned, scooped up Gabrielle, and looked down. The little girl in his arms gazed up at him, tears in her eyes. Tom muttered, "She really does resemble her…It's a pity my silly apprentice wouldn't come crying to me…"
"Big brother?" Gabrielle asked, confused.
"Come, little one. Big brother is going to get you an explanation." Tom, with Nagini gliding silently behind him, strode away, leaving Dumbledore to ponder his motives.
Was it simply their shared Veela heritage that compelled him to intervene? I knew it! Why else would this brat suddenly grow a conscience?
...
Meanwhile, at the French Ministry of Magic, Theo, the Minister of Magic, nervously sifted through a mountain of paperwork. In reality, he was in a state of panic. The Aurors he'd been working with, those associated with dark wizards, had been out of contact for too long. If nothing else had happened, something must have.
Over the years, they had used their positions to amass considerable wealth, engaging in smuggling and trafficking – they had done it all. If they got caught…
Cold sweat trickled down Theo's forehead.
He'd just received word of unsanctioned magic use in the Muggle world, and all the Aurors sent to investigate had vanished. Theo had no idea they were deliberately cutting off contact out of fear; he only knew something terrible must have occurred.
Boom!!!
"What was that? Go see what's happening!" Theo barked, summoning his secretary.
Moments later, the secretary burst through the door, shouting, "It's terrible! The Dark Lord has broken in!"
"What?!" Theo's heart leaped into his throat. He slammed his fist on the table, jumping to his feet. "Quickly! Contact England! Get Dumbledore!"
The secretary reminded him, "Actually, Minister, Dumbledore is the one who brought the Dark Lord here."
"…"
Is that even human? Theo hesitated and asked, "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. I swear on my brother's future happiness." The secretary's tone was grave.
Just then, Theo rushed to the window, grabbed the windowsill, and prepared to jump.
Seeing this, the secretary rushed over, grabbing him. "Minister, you can't leave!"
"Can't leave? Staying here is a death sentence! While there is life, there is hope!"
Damn it! Even during Dumbledore and Grindelwald's heyday, the French Ministry of Magic never experienced an invasion.
While the two men struggled, Tom and his entourage walked in.
"What are they doing?" Nagini hissed.
"Flirting, I suppose. There's a saying: 'When there's work, the secretary does it; when there's nothing to do, they do it...'" Cassandra replied.
"So, am I Tom's secretary?" Nagini asked.
"…"
Hearing this exchange, Theo and his secretary froze, turning around, their faces flushed with embarrassment.
Theo glanced back and forth between Tom and Dumbledore, then lay down on the floor, defeated.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to take your life," Tom said, strolling over to Theo's seat and casually sitting down.
"…"
Why didn't you say so earlier! Theo opened his eyes resentfully, only to be met by Dumbledore's gentle smile.
Ten minutes later…
Theo suddenly beamed. This was the perfect opportunity! It would be a lie to say he hadn't known about his subordinates' petty crimes. But before, he hadn't been able to deal with them effectively. Now, he had the perfect chance.
---
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