Although, but...
In the end, Tom was unceremoniously kicked out by a certain heartless, ruthless, allegedly "promoting youthful social health development," but in reality likely just wanting peace and quiet, early "Dark Lord" without a hint of pity, still carrying his "heirloom" small suitcase, arrived at the door of the Wild family.
"Merry Christmas, have fun."
Snowflakes fell from the sky. Behind him, someone in the car said goodbye with a laugh. Tom, frowning, wanted to say something, but when he turned his head, he realized that the old Ford had already disappeared. He instinctively looked up, watching the red taillights vanish into the night sky.
Tom lowered his head, next to the suitcase's handle, lay a furry, dark, and currently bored little creature yawning—
Yes, Kabuda was also kicked out, the given reason was more straightforward—too annoying.
As the creature that had stayed the longest by the early Dark Lord, Kabuda decisively chose to stay by Tom's side, although once not a good person, now he's a good kid.
The Wild family resided in a quiet neighborhood in the suburbs of London; the house was a typical English detached villa similar to Privet Drive, with many withered vines crawling up the red brick walls, mistletoe and holly wreaths hanging at the door, warm yellow lights glowing from the windows. Tom took a deep breath—
The Wild's parents were very typical Muggles mentioned in Muggle Studies textbooks—father an accountant, mother a primary school teacher.
They warmly, though slightly awkwardly, welcomed Tom—
Obviously, Jack often talked about this "genius but eccentric" friend at home, Mrs. Wild praised Tom's politeness and handsome appearance endlessly, while Mr. Wild showed respectable admiration for Tom's extracurricular studies, though he didn't understand them.
But the dignity of a middle-aged man...
No comment.
The true "exception" in this family was Jack's sister—Emily Wild, a ten-year-old girl with bright chestnut-colored eyes.
Unlike her parents who displayed restrained curiosity towards the magical world, Emily's eyes burned with pure, fervent, undisguised longing. Like many siblings from Muggle families with little wizards, this little one also contacted Dumbledore. Sometimes Tom wondered if that old man spent his days in the office just answering letters to these kids.
Tom had met her a few times before, at Platform 9 3/4, and was deeply impressed by the chatterbox little girl, but this was indeed their first time spending an extended period together, so during dinner, the girl's questions fired at Tom and Jack like a barrage—
"Does Hogwarts really have a lot of moving staircases?"
"Do you really race on broomsticks?"
"Do owl posts take forever? Why not try email?"
"Those spells, I mean, like in the movies, you wave a wooden stick and things fly? What's the principle?"
"Which house will I be sorted into? Does Grandpa Dumbledore ever bathe the Sorting Hat? It must be smelly from so many people wearing it, right?"
Jack tried to dismiss these questions lightly but was quickly seen through by Emily's sharpness. Tom mostly stayed silent, occasionally correcting Jack's completely wrong responses when Emily asked about academic matters or explaining a couple of questions with the simplest analogies—
Meanwhile, Kabuda, crawling around the table being adorable, became the highlight of dinner until Tom pulled out a pile of items from its belly, including Mr. Wild's silver pocket watch, Mrs. Wild's necklace, Emily's buttons, revealing the Niffler's true nature.
"So, you're heading to... that town? Called Hogsm..."
After finishing the last of the pudding, taking advantage of her parents tidying up in the kitchen, Emily, holding Kabuda, sneaked into the living room, her eyes gleaming, whispered to Tom who was reading a Muggle book on the sofa and Jack, sprawled on the sofa rubbing his stomach.
"Hogsmeade, yeah."
Jack lazily replied, "Christmas at Hogsmeade, it's bustling—do you want to go?" He said, lifting his head.
Emily nodded vigorously, her hopeful expression clear.
"But Mom and Dad wouldn't agree."
"Then don't tell them?"
"If you want a spanking when you return, you can do that."
"Then what are we going to do?"
"Well, I have a plan—but it requires his cooperation."
After chatting for a while, the siblings finally became serious, both turning to look at Tom sitting to the side.
"...?"
How did this get around to me?
"...I think."
Tom closed the book cover, paused for a moment, and cautiously began, "Hogsmeade might be too...exciting for a ten-year-old child." As soon as he said it, he met eyes with a pair of water-lit hazel pupils, so he needed a more compelling reason, "Besides, the Secrecy Law stipulates—"
"Secrecy Law? Isn't it already useless?"
Jack interrupted Tom's speech, expressing you might fool my sister but not me—
He was right, in recent years, as the "magic network" formed rapidly, the boundaries between the Wizard and Muggle Worlds have indeed started to blur, with some magic studies beginning to take cues from Muggle scientific thinking, and the regulation of magical items loosening up as biting kettles began to enter thousands of homes—
Of course, Jack's statement was exaggerated; ordinary Muggles still find it difficult to come into contact with magic. Although the world is changing, it's far from being openly accessible.
"Besides, I'm not afraid!"
Emily grabbed Tom's arm, "Jack told me about those things, Butter Beer, Chocolate Frog, and Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes—please, take me to see them, I swear I'll behave and not touch anything—"
Tom's arm went numb from being shaken, and he glanced at Jack, who raised an eyebrow. Clearly, it was something the siblings had planned all along.
As for why they needed such a plan, it's obviously because a ten-year-old girl needs parental permission to go out, and Jack's reputation...can't be said to be notorious but has been pretty messed up, so evidently, Mr. and Mrs. Sloper would never agree to this—
But if Tom vouched for them, then everything would be different.
After all, as the standard, well-performing, and steady child of others, Tom's endorsement carried significant weight.
So, thirty minutes later, Emily wrapped up like a penguin and the two well-dressed men stood at the door.
"Do you really not need me to escort you?"
Mr. Sloper asked for the sixth time, clearly still a bit uneasy.
"We really don't."
Jack quickly waved his hand, "By the time we drive there, Valentine's Day will be over." He first muttered under his breath in a way only a few could hear, then raised his voice, "With Richard around, you can rest assured he'll take good care of us."
"...Yes."
Tom could only nod along, looking at the two silly-headed companions beside him, and began to ponder how he ended up befriending Jack.
Walking out the door, the snow fell even harder than when Tom arrived, dyeing the entire street pure white. The girl in thick boots excitedly and nervously looked around, the snow crunching underfoot as she moved—"How are we getting there? Walking?"
"No, we're taking a cab."
Jack led the two to a secluded street corner, drew his magic wand, and silently pointed it opposite them. Moments later, a deafening sound echoed from afar, followed by a three-story, brightly colored purple bus squeezing into view like from thin air, stopping stylishly in front of the trio, scattering snow onto Tom's glasses.
"..."
The bus door opened, and there stood Stan Shunpike wearing a purple top hat at the entrance. "New faces?" His gaze swept over the three, "I hope you have parental permission for heading out at night. Welcome aboard the Knight Bus, designed for witches or wizards in distress!"
"Obviously, we are."
Jack grabbed the handrail to board, pulling out dozens of Sickles from his pocket. "To Hogsmeade, and a hot cocoa—for my sister."
Emily was half-pushed on board by Tom, and with the vehicle's movement, she instantly forgot the odd hairstyle of the ticket seller—
With each wild Apparition leap of the bus, the handrails and passengers within it jostled and bounced violently. There was an old witch snoring with an owl cage in the corner, a few oddly-dressed wizards arguing over a living map, and outside the window, the scenery flew by like a kaleidoscope, sometimes skimming treetops, sometimes barely grazing Muggle building rooftops.
Finally, after who knows how many stomach-churning jumps and sudden stops, the bus squealed to a halt at the end of a snow-covered path lined with icicle-hanging pine trees. Not far away, the lights of a magically protected town shone warmly in the dark sky and falling snow.
"Hogsmeade is here. Merry Christmas, watch your step!"
As the trio got pushed off the bus, Stan cheerfully shouted behind them before the bus vanished with a "bang" into thin air.
Hogsmeade had changed beyond recognition—once a wizard village, it had begun rapid development in recent years under the Ministry of Magic's planning. Tom recalled Hermione mentioning that when the Secrecy Law became completely obsolete, Hogsmeade would be the first wizarding site open to Muggles as a tourist attraction.
Though Tom wasn't sure when that would be, the current Hogsmeade Village... no, Hogsmeade Town was clearly ready.