Once he was far enough from Grindelwald's office, Wade stepped into a corner and removed the Disillusionment Charm.
Not go back on his word?
Impossible.
The one who agreed to the conditions was Tom Riddle. What did that have to do with Wade Reynolds?
Wade finished calculating his little plan and turned to leave.
Meanwhile, Grindelwald hadn't been idle after seeing Wade off. He immediately wrote a secret letter to Anne.
He had a constant feeling that Wade was not a trustworthy boy, so he needed someone reliable to keep an eye on him just in case.
As for the Dementor… was that even a problem?
…
Wade did not return to the Somnolen wizard tower or the Room of Requirement to continue studying alchemy.
Instead, he headed to the club activity room.
He didn't manage club affairs much anymore, but he still came by from time to time to check on things.
The older members all knew him, but the newly joined first-years were still unfamiliar with the fact that their club president was only a second-year student.
As soon as Wade entered the club activity room, he saw a short figure on the dueling platform engaged in a match.
With a sharp crack, a flash of red light shot out, and Flitwick's opponent was blasted off the platform.
"Oof…"
Flitwick had been dueling a second-year SMASH member, someone who had at least practiced dueling in the Mutual Aid Club for over a year, yet he still lost to first-year Flitwick.
There was no denying Flitwick's talent.
Wade flicked his wand, and the student who had been knocked off the platform froze in mid-air, then floated gently to the ground.
"Uh… President, thank you." The club member, realizing he hadn't been injured, quickly thanked Wade with a pale face.
"No need. It seems we really should set up some safety measures under the platform," Wade murmured.
The platform wasn't high, and even with cushions around it, falling off could still hurt.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind him.
"On a real battlefield, there won't be soft mats. Better to get hurt more now, so you'll get hurt less when the real thing comes."
Wade turned and saw Tom standing there, face cold.
"Tom, you really are strict," Wade said cheerfully.
"Well, if it isn't our long-lost club president. What brings you here today? Suddenly interested in managing club affairs?" Tom replied, full of resentment.
Wade's habit of being a hands-off leader had made Tom and the newly appointed acting manager, Anne, suffer endlessly. So seeing Wade show up in the club naturally made Tom speak in a snide tone.
"Ah! So you're the president of the Student Mutual Aid Social Hub?" Flitwick called out excitedly from the platform.
"Yes, that's me," Wade said with a smile.
Flitwick struggled a bit to climb down from the tall dueling platform.
"I really like this Mutual Aid Club!" he said as he ran over. "Oh, right, my name is Filius Flitwick. You can just call me Filius!"
"I'm glad you like our club," Wade said brightly. "Of course, the club runs well thanks to Tom and the others. I rarely handle anything myself…"
"So you do know," Tom said through clenched teeth.
"Tom, I'm giving you opportunities to train your leadership!"
"Oh? Then I should be thanking you, shouldn't I?"
"We're all good brothers here, no need to be polite. You can keep training! Don't worry about my feelings," Wade said generously.
Tom's face went completely dark.
Wade was obviously taking advantage of him and Anne and all the core members, squeezing out their labor, yet he still acted like he was being magnanimous and doing them a favor.
If Tom could beat him, he would've whipped this bastard already.
"Vice President Tom really takes good care of us new members," Flitwick said with a smile. "And in the club, when everyone looks at me, no one gives me strange looks. That's what ...touches me the most."
Flitwick was used to people staring at him oddly, but saying he didn't care at all would have been a lie.
Back then, Dumbledore had gone to great lengths to persuade Ministry officials just to get him admitted.
After all, Flitwick's appearance clearly suggested a connection to goblins.
And in this era, the Ministry was still very wary of goblins.
They didn't even want goblins to own wands, let alone allow a wizard with goblin blood into Hogwarts.
So it was obvious that simply attending Hogwarts was already a tremendous burden for Flitwick.
And under that pressure, finding a club where he felt no pressure at all could only make him genuinely happy.
"This is one of our club's guiding principles, Filius," Wade said with a smile. "In our club, everyone is equal. Once you join, you're like our brothers and sisters."
"I know! When Sir Tom invited me, I thought that principle was just something people said. But then I heard what happened in the Entrance Hall on the first day of school. To stand up for a club member, you led a resistance… it was truly moving!" Flitwick said earnestly. "From that moment on, I knew this was where I belonged!"
"That's exactly why I founded the SMASH Club in the first place. And also, Filius, I have a small dream," Wade said with a grin.
"What dream?"
"I hope this Mutual Aid Club won't exist only in Hogwarts. There are oppressed people not just in this school. There are countless witches and wizards outside living difficult lives. After I graduate, I want to continue what I've started and help all oppressed brothers and sisters overthrow the privileged class that exploits them, so they can reclaim the rights they deserve. I want this world to become fair and just, where everyone is equal, with no more discrimination and no more exploitation."
Hearing Wade's dream, Flitwick's small eyes lit up immediately. "What a magnificent dream! When that day comes, I hope I can have a place in your cause!"
As someone who belonged to one of the most looked-down-upon groups in the wizarding world, Flitwick deeply empathized with those who suffered the same treatment.
After hearing Wade's dream, how could he not be stirred?
"So that's why we have to study hard now, hone our skills, and work for the future of the wizarding world!" Wade said, clenching his fist.
"For the future of the wizarding world!" Flitwick waved his small hands excitedly.
Tom stood there stunned. Back when he tried to recruit Flitwick, he had put in quite a lot of effort to gain his trust.
Yet Wade won him over completely in just a few sentences…
And as for Wade's stated goal… Tom felt himself having another moment of realization.
So this was what Wade meant earlier when he talked about "following the people's path," right?
And now Grindelwald seemed to be taking that path too, only… in a somewhat different way…
Damn… Could it be that Wade wasn't actually sure whether his envisioned path would work, so he arranged for Grindelwald to blaze the trail for him?
If it worked, Wade would seize the fruits of Grindelwald's victory.
If it didn't, then after Grindelwald failed, Wade would learn from the experience and adjust the plan?
As expected of you, Wade.
"By the way, how's Alphard doing now?" Wade asked, not knowing Tom had once again started self-psychoanalyzing in the background.
"Looks like all the preparations we made were pointless," Tom shrugged. "On the night of the opening feast, after word got back that Grindelwald had a 'friendly chat' with us, not only was Alphard not removed from the family tree, but the next day his parents sent him a large amount of pocket money and a letter of encouragement…"
Wade blinked. "Their bottom line is… surprisingly flexible."
It was obvious the Blacks had misunderstood and assumed Wade's little group had joined Grindelwald's camp just like they had.
And the fact that Grindelwald had spoken only with them that night made the Blacks believe Wade's group was even more favored than they were.
So the thing Alphard had feared — being expelled from the Black family the next day — never happened.
In fact, on the same morning they sent Alphard his pocket money, they also sent Walburga a Howler!
_________
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