As Rosier explained, Tom quickly grasped the situation.
Someone had placed a bounty on him , five thousand Galleons, alive.
It wasn't a public bounty, which meant whoever issued it didn't want to draw attention from the Ministry of Magic or alert Tom himself. This was being handled through the black market, quietly and efficiently.
There were three brokers in the underground world, each similar to Borgin and Burkes , and the six wizards who had attacked him earlier were their hired men. Each broker had sent two. Clearly, they were planning to split the reward among themselves.
Five thousand Galleons. Such an enormous sum hadn't appeared in the black market for decades.
Yet, Tom frowned when he heard it.
He was worth only five thousand?
Bloody hell. Even Sirius Black, who didn't even have his wand when he escaped, had a Ministry bounty of a thousand Galleons on his head. Shouldn't Tom be worth at least ten times that?
Rosier saw the frown and mistook it for anger , anger that someone had dared to place a price on his life.
"Master Riddle, please give me some time!" Rosier blurted, pale with fear. "I swear I'll find out who had the audacity to issue this bounty against you. As for those three old scoundrels , I'll make sure none of them get away!"
Tom blinked, then smiled faintly. "No need to be so tense. My temper isn't that bad. We already have a target , that makes things easier, doesn't it? Oh, right , I didn't see Vogel today. Where is he?"
"He went to invite someone more… suitable to handle this," Rosier replied, then began describing a man named Grimson.
Tom nodded thoughtfully. That name, he'd heard quite often from Grindelwald's mouth , always in tones of respect and praise.
It wasn't just Grimson's strength that impressed the Dark wizard. It was his ability to cause real trouble for Newt Scamander. Whenever Newt faced Grimson, he dared not unleash his full army of magical beasts , that would be suicide for his beloved creatures.
There was a reason the man was called the greatest magical creature hunter alive.
Even so, Grimson had never truly defeated Newt either. Newt always had his human shields , Tina and his brother Theseus, and at times, he could even summon a Dumbledore or two for help.
No wonder the Saints fumed at the very mention of Newt. The man was infuriatingly hard to kill.
Tom sighed wistfully. "Pity there's no time this round. I'd have loved to meet him , to see for myself just how strong someone who could suppress an adult Obscurial really is."
Yesterday's battle had demanded Tom's full effort , not to destroy his enemies, but to hold the Obscurus back from killing them all. These days, opponents suitable for him were getting rarer. Aside from the two ancient codgers from the Study Space and that other one at the school, only Aberforth and Grimson might be worth fighting seriously.
After feeding Usagi, who soon fell into a deep sleep, Tom left and made his way to the Delacour residence.
It was Saturday, so Monsieur Delacour was home , and could only watch in despair as Tom, once again, spirited away his two precious daughters.
The only comfort was that Tom would return to Britain in a few days, bringing his daughters back safely then.
For the rest of the week, Tom barely set foot in the lab. Instead, he spent every day exploring Paris's amusement parks with Gabrielle and Fleur, visiting mountain villages, and even calling on Apolline, Fleur's grandmother, in the Vosges Mountains.
Apolline was thrilled to see them , until she learned they'd be heading back to Paris that very night. Then she grew furious, nearly transforming on the spot.
Tom couldn't help but laugh. Most Veela he'd met were like overgrown children.
Still, given that Apolline was a hundred and twenty years old , roughly equivalent to thirty in human years , she wasn't exactly ancient.
They returned from the Vosges with baskets full of fresh fruits and beautiful flowers. On the day they were to go home, Tom transplanted five Whomping Willows into his private pocket world.
"You're certain Dumbledore will agree to you turning his school into your private garden?" Nicolas Flamel asked skeptically. "Those trees are dangerous, Tom. I remember when he first planted the one at Hogwarts , the parents' complaint letters piled up like snow!"
Tom chuckled as he sealed the crate. "Hogwarts is full of things far more dangerous than a few trees. Last year we had Quirrell, then Voldemort's diary. Compared to those, the Whomping Willow's practically harmless."
He added, smiling mischievously, "Besides, the Headmaster once asked for my help. If he can ask favors, I can, too. That's only fair, isn't it?"
"Just be careful," Nicolas said gravely. Even though he liked Tom, he couldn't help but warn him. "Dumbledore's a good man, but… well, he's complicated. Always remember , protect yourself first. If the sky falls, let the tall ones hold it up. And if you're unsure about something, ask me , not Newt."
Nicolas cast a side-eye at Newt Scamander, who smiled awkwardly. "That boy's hopelessly naïve. If not for Tina, he'd have lost an arm or leg by now , and that's the optimistic version."
"I understand," Tom said with a warm smile. "I'll go see Grandma Perenelle before I leave."
"Go on, then."
,
Meanwhile, in the dark heart of the black market, a middle-aged wizard wearing a tall bowler hat arrived. He looked harmless enough , his face pleasant, his smile gentle, with dimples flickering at the corners.
"This should be the place…" he murmured, glancing up at the faded shop sign.
After confirming he hadn't come to the wrong address, he drew a circle with his wand. A shimmering veil of light descended around the building like a curtain of water, sealing it entirely.
Nothing escaped that barrier , not blood, not screams.
,
When Tom returned to Britain, the oppressive air of London hit him immediately.
The cursed weather , the thick fog clung to the city like a stubborn charm.
Thunder cracked overhead, lightning flashed, and the cold wind howled through the streets.
Pulling out his phone, Tom didn't message Hermione or Daphne first. Instead, he sent a text to Cho.
[Tom: I'm back.]
[Cho: Already? I thought you'd come back right before term started.]
[Tom: My house is still a mess. If I wait any longer, I'll end up cleaning it next summer. ]
[Cho: Need me to help?]
[Tom: I'd be thrilled.]
[Cho: Send me the address, I'm on my way.]
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