Rayquaza would always belong to the skies. But for now, little Usagi was still too small, and life beyond Earth's atmosphere held too many dangers. She preferred curling against Tom's chest, basking in his warmth, and dozing off.
Compared to the start of term, her size hadn't changed much. The meteorites Tom had managed to collect were long since devoured, and her growth now depended solely on nature's pace. His upcoming trip to France had another purpose as well—collecting resources from the Rozier family. Otherwise, Usagi's growth would stall, and who knew when she would finally become strong enough to fight at his side.
After a stop in Diagon Alley to buy ornamental flower and herb seeds, Tom returned home. Daphne and the others were already back.
With someone pulling strings at the Ministry, things went quickly. His fireplace was not only connected to the Floo Network, but granted unusually high clearance—only special Floo powder could be used to enter, and it was now linked directly to Greengrass Manor. Convenient, discreet, and safe.
House-elves had also furnished several of the bedrooms.
To celebrate the housewarming, the group decided on an outdoor barbecue. The elves prepared the ingredients and then withdrew—leaving the four of them to enjoy their private little world.
Hermione, after so long learning from Hannah Abbott, had grown adept at cooking. At least, Daphne devoured her food with shining eyes and a satisfied smile.
"Ahh—!" Daphne bit into another rib, cheeks stuffed, glowing with happiness. "Tom, your house is better than ours. Diagon Alley's so close, and all those Muggle shops nearby—way more fun than what we get in the wizarding world."
Astoria nodded eagerly. The clothing boutiques had dazzled her, each shop luring her in. Their manor might have been larger, but it was quiet, empty—lifeless. The bustle here was intoxicating.
Hermione sniffed. "Funny, isn't it? Weren't you the one sneering at Muggle things back at the start of term? Arguing with me day and night?"
Daphne flushed crimson. "Hermione! Don't bring up the past!"
Yes, she had once been a staunch pure-blood supremacist. If Tom's looks hadn't stunned her into silence back then, they might never have gotten this far. But people changed. Once she dropped her tinted lenses, she realized—it was the wizarding world that lagged behind. In everyday comforts, in life's little pleasures, Muggles were far ahead. Combining both worlds was the true ideal.
"I'm not dredging up the past," Hermione teased, rolling her eyes. "Just… reminding you of history."
Furious, Daphne slammed her rib onto the plate and lunged at Hermione with greasy fingers. Hermione squealed and bolted across the garden. Laughter and shrieks filled the air.
Watching them, Tom felt a peculiar peace. His dream was already half-realized. All that remained was for him to become invincible—and then he could enjoy this life without fear.
The Greengrass sisters settled into Tom's home without hesitation. Hermione, too, spent nearly every day there. Only out of respect for her parents' proximity did she still return to her own house at night.
By day, while Tom busied himself, the girls did homework or shopped. Every evening, they returned with arms full—bags and boxes piled high enough to cover the massive tea table.
Astoria favored beautiful clothes. Daphne bought anything that caught her fancy.
One day she marched in with several oddly-shaped hookahs. Tom stared silently.
And then… several trash bins.
"Daphne," Tom asked carefully, "do these bins… have some special magical use?"
"Hm?" Daphne blinked at her prizes. "No, not really. I just thought they'd be perfect for holding potion waste. I'm going to give one to Professor Snape as a Christmas gift."
Tom patted her head approvingly. "Brilliant. Truly brilliant. Now, you three stay here and enjoy yourselves. I'm going to see an old Muggle friend who's back on break."
"Will you be back for dinner?" Astoria asked softly.
Tom shook his head. "I'll eat out. Don't wait up."
"Alright—be quick, and come home safe," Astoria said.
Daphne, hugging her bin gleefully, scampered upstairs to wrap Snape's "gift." Tom couldn't help laughing, eager to see the man's expression when he opened it.
With a snap, he vanished.
He reappeared near the orphanage.
This time, aside from Seth, there were several new temporary children. Tom had no interest in them. He simply whisked Seth away to a nearby McDonald's.
Tom had explained his absence from the orphanage by claiming he now stayed with a schoolmate. Seth had been disappointed not to live with him, but also proud—his "big brother" had real friends now.
And Seth himself was thriving. With Tom's earlier "enhancements," his boxing career had accelerated. He was already entering youth tournaments, even winning some titles.
Tonight, Tom planned to help him once more—with the blood of the Re'em. After that, Seth's path would be his own. As a childhood brother, Tom felt he'd given enough.
After finishing their meal, the two played in the arcade for a couple of hours before parting ways.
But Tom didn't head home.
Instead, he slipped into a sweetshop in Diagon Alley. At the window, sipping coffee and reading a newspaper, sat a black-haired girl.
Tom slid into the seat across from her. She looked up, startled, then relaxed instantly when she saw him.
"Sorry, I'm a little late, Cho," Tom said with an apologetic smile.
The girl's smile was gentle. She shook her head. "Not at all. I came early. It's not even our meeting time yet."
…Though, just moments ago, Tom had told Astoria he was dining with Seth.
That wasn't exactly a lie. Was it?