London Airport.
Tom, cloaked in a black trench coat, guided Luna and Hermione towards the boarding gate. Luna's eyes darted around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings with wide-eyed wonder, while Hermione kept a firm grip on Luna's hand, preventing her from wandering off. Their destination: the vast expanse of America.
Tom's primary objective was to visit Newt Scamander. He also intended for Hermione to acquire Newt's autograph and, perhaps more fancifully, for Luna to locate a Curved-Horned Snorkack. As for why they were travelling to the Americas when the Snorkack supposedly resided in Sweden? Because Tom knew it was a fictional creature. His true aim was to glean insights into magical creature reproduction from Newt, with the ambition of hybridizing one himself. If Hagrid could successfully breed a Blast-Ended Skrewt, why couldn't Tom Riddle create a Curved-Horned Snorkack?
Under Hermione's watchful gaze, Tom smoothly navigated the boarding gate. Despite knowing Tom had lived in the Muggle world until the age of eleven, she doubted the orphaned Tom would have possessed the funds for air travel. But perhaps this was through Tom's frequent travels to the Muggle world now that he was older. Reassured by this thought, Hermione then carefully explained the gate procedures again to Luna, making sure she made it through smoothly, before following close behind her.
Once aboard the aircraft, Tom decisively claimed a window seat—the real reason he chose to travel by airplane rather than Portkey. Logically, the window seat should have been offered to one of the younger girls. Yet, Tom declared such customs outdated. Even if Dumbledore or Cassandra were present, Tom Riddle would never relinquish his coveted window seat! Hermione and Luna took the seats next to his.
Even now, aboard the plane, Luna seemed fascinated by this thing called an airplane.
As the plane accelerated for takeoff, the slight pressure against her back brought a look of pure joy to Luna's face. "This feels entirely different from flying on broomsticks and carpets!"
Eager to share her knowledge, Hermione launched into an enthusiastic explanation for Luna.
An older woman seated behind listened in, smiling kindly at their chatter. Little girls this age were so adorable, with such rich imaginations, imagining they were witches, no less!
As Hermione and Luna talked, the plane soared away from England. Suddenly, a middle-aged man wearing a mask rose from his seat. A flight attendant quickly approached him. "Hello, sir, is there something I can help you with?"
"Oh, I'm sorry to trouble you," the man said, his tone seemingly polite.
The flight attendant smiled in return. "It's alright, sir. What can I do for you?"
"I'm here to hijack the plane."
The middle-aged man pulled a handgun from his bag and pressed it against the flight attendant's forehead. The flight attendant was instantly petrified, raising her hands above her head. "Alright, alright! Hijacking! Hijacking! Everyone behave yourselves!"
At the man's words, the other passengers looked around in terror and lowered their heads, not daring to meet the hijacker's eyes.
"What's that he's holding?" Luna asked, seemingly more curious than afraid.
Hearing this, Hermione whispered what the situation was, and what a pistol was used for. Hermione, however, didn't seem frightened at all.
"Open the cockpit door right now! Or I'll kill someone here!" the hijacker shouted.
Hearing this, the blonde, blue-eyed flight attendant was overcome with terror. "Sir, please calm down..."
"Can't calm down! Hurry up... Hey kid! Why are you standing up?!"
Under the hijacker's gaze, Tom rose from his seat and stepped into the aisle. Seeing Tom ignore him, the hijacker grew enraged, pointing the gun at Tom. "Ignoring me? Do you want to die?!"
But Tom still offered no response, simply walking towards him in silence.
What the f?! This is the first time anyone has ever insulted my profession like this! The hijacker was truly enraged, and in a fit of pique, pulled the trigger.
With a deafening BANG, a bullet shot from the chamber, flying straight toward Tom.
"Ah!!!" The sound of the gunshot triggered screams of panic throughout the plane. But what the passengers didn't know was that their screams were making the hijacker even more jittery.
"Think you're scared? I'm even more scared than you!" The hijacker, his face contorted with terror, dropped his gun.
Realizing that the scene they had imagined hadn't materialized, the passengers slowly calmed. Turning around, everyone's eyes widened in disbelief.
A metallic bullet was suspended in mid-air before Tom!
Tom reached out and plucked the bullet from the air, slowly advancing towards the terrified hijacker.
Reaching the hijacker's side, Tom pressed the bullet into his hand. "Swallow it."
Hearing this, the hijacker's pupils dilated, his face contorting with panic. But seeing Tom's unwavering gaze, the hijacker dutifully put the bullet in his mouth and swallowed.
Seeing this, Tom smiled. "Good boy, sit still." With that, Tom placed his hand on the hijacker's shoulder and forcefully pushed him back into his seat.
Having done this, Tom returned to his own seat.
Hermione and Luna stared at Tom with open admiration, but Tom paid them no mind, returning to his intent gaze out the window.
After that, the plane fell into an eerie silence. No one dared to move, not even to speak.
After all, judging from Tom's treatment of the hijacker, he was not someone to be trifled with. Better to be careful and not provoke him.
Not only the hijacker, but everyone else thought the same way.
In fact, the hijacker had accomplices on the plane, but after witnessing what had just happened, the accomplices dared not reveal themselves.
Time passed slowly in silence.
When the plane finally landed, no one moved to get up. They only breathed a collective sigh of relief when they watched Tom and the two girls leave.
But Tom suddenly stopped as they exited the plane.
With a snap of his fingers, everyone on the plane was astonished to find that they couldn't recall anything that had just occurred!
"Huh? What was I trying to do?"
"Wait! Where did that gun come from?!"
"..."
"Grab the gun!"
Hearing the commotion behind him, Tom remarked, "Quite a scene."
...
Outside the airport, Luna gazed around curiously, while Hermione walked beside Tom, asking, "Professor, where are we going to find Mr. Scamander?"
Tom simply replied calmly, "I know where he lives."
"Mr. Scamander told you?"
"His grandson did."
"..."
---