The Useful Principal

Gellert Grindelwald laughed and joked, "So you want us to work for you?"

"It's not about working for someone else, it's about collaboration. You design, I learn, I improve, and then I use it even better, which makes you proud too."

Andros laughed heartily. "You have that mouth of yours, you can talk the dead back to life."

"So, will you agree or not?"

Gellert Grindelwald hesitated for a moment, then agreed, on only one condition:

When Tom went to see Albus Dumbledore, he had to keep his Study Space open so that Dumbledore could listen to the whole thing, Tom did not refuse.

Six credits per hour—consider it ten minutes for the old man to visit his old flame, and he can still study the rest of the time. It's not a bad deal.

Tom also made a condition. "You can't interrupt. You can't let me give myself away."

With the terms agreed upon, Tom prepared to go see Albus Dumbledore the next day.

I didn't go in the morning; I sent a message through my Daphne -House-elf to arrange a walk at four o'clock in the afternoon.

The weather is still cold, but Gryffindor has already started training because there's Quidditch Match next month.

There were quite a few people strolling on the lawn; the weather was unusually sunny, and the whole school felt lazy.

Passing by Hagrid's Hut, Tom petted Daphne for a while. While Fang tended the Hagrid garden, Tom pulled Daphne into the woods, took out a bottle of stimulant, gave it to her, and patiently taught her how to absorb its effects.

After absorbing the basic ingredients, Daphne clearly felt the changes in her body and looked at Tom with delighted eyes. "Tom, you're amazing! You actually managed to make such a powerful Potions!"

Even a seventy- or eighty-year-old man gets carried away by the admiration of a beautiful woman, so Tom naturally feels quite pleased as well.

He gently patted her head. "Your body is too weak. Don't always think about your sister; you need to exercise too."

"Astoria, yes!"

Daphne's sister-complex instincts kicked in instantly, her eyes lighting up, "Can she use this medicine? I feel all warm and cozy all over right now!"

Tom thought for a moment. The tonic didn't cure diseases, but it could improve physical fitness. It was useless and had no harm, so he nodded.

Daphne became even more excited and begged Tom for a few more bottles so she could send them home for her sister to try.

"I don't have many left." Tom pulled out two more bottles. "Send them back together. Make sure you write down the movements I taught you clearly; they must be used together."

"If it works, have your mom get me the Sphinx's eyeball. I'm short of that material; it's not available in Diagon Alley, and it's too expensive in Knockturn Alley. Your mom has a lot of connections, so she can help me find out."

Daphne nodded. "I'll write the letter now." The two went straight to the Owlery to write the letter.

Daphne has a snow-white owl named Winnie, who is incredibly handsome.

Neither of them mentioned money. Tom didn't want any, Daphne simply asked her mother to send five thousand Galleon in a letter.

In her mind, the medicine was absolutely worth the price.

Watching the owl fly into the distance, Daphne prayed, hoping this time it wouldn't be a false alarm.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Tom came out of the Room of Requirement, said goodbye to Hermione and Daphne, and arrived at the door of the Headmaster's Office.

Upon seeing him, the Gargoyle immediately tried to open the door.

Tom reached out to stop him. "No, we agreed that everyone needs a password. I can't make an exception."

The Stone Guardian's face fell. "Kid, you still hold a grudge? I only teased you once, and it's been a whole semester already."

"That won't do," Tom said seriously. "Everyone who comes has to say the password, that's what you said."

Tom cleared his throat. "Chocolate Frog."

"Wrong."

Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.

"Wrong."

"Pumpkin Pasty."

"Wrong."

Tom began reciting the menu. "Acid Pops, Ice Mice, Sugar Quill, Peppermint Toad, Black Pepper Wizard Candy, Exploding Sandwich Candy, Jelly Slug."

The Stone Guardian's stone face contorted in pain. "You know the password! You just recite the menu every time!" The Stone Guardian was on the verge of collapse.

Others would just say the password if they knew it, but Tom would read the candy list one by one, deliberately skipping the correct answer and only saying the last one.

Now, even the sound of candy's name makes Stone's head ache.

The Stone Guardian simply ignored him, moved aside, and went on strike.

Tom scoffed, thinking the stone was really easy to tease, and stepped inside.

Albus Dumbledore was already waiting there, smiling and gesturing for him to sit down, "So, I, the headmaster, am finally doing something useful?"

"The House-elf tells me you need help, and I'd be happy to assist you. Just say the word."

He was genuinely happy.

Friendships are built through mutual favors. He wasn't afraid of Tom bothering him, but he was afraid that this boy would be like the previous Tom, going his own way and eventually sliding into darkness.

Tom sat down, giving a shy smile. "I've seen your 1955 interview; you said Newt Scamander Scamander was your favorite student."

"I admire him a lot and I've encountered a problem with Fantastic Beasts that I'd like to ask him for advice. Do you have his contact information?"

"What's the problem?"

"Unicorn, I'm studying unicorn habits, and I heard he's an expert in this field."

"Fantastic Beasts, Newt Scamander is indeed a master in this field; I am ashamed to admit my inferiority," Albus Dumbledore acknowledged.

"He's not only my student, but also my friend. I'm sure he'd be happy to help you."

In the Study Space, Gellert Grindelwald, who was about to peek at his old friend, broke down. I told you to ask Albus Dumbledore for advice, not to go through him to find Scamander!

"Thank you so much, Professor!" Tom pulled out a letter he had already written and handed it over. "Could you please send it to Devon for me?"

Albus Dumbledore took the letter and suddenly smiled sarcastically, "Who said Newt Scamander lives in Devon?"

Tom was taken aback. Wasn't that how it was written in the book?

"Newt Scamander is indeed an expert, but he doesn't live in Britain."

Where does he live?

"New York. He spent decades in United States and has a very good relationship with the Wizarding World there," Albus Dumbledore sighed.

"He offended many people and couldn't stay in Britain. Even now, some people still want to get revenge on him and avenge an old friend."

Tom fell silent.

That old friend, needless to say, is the one from the Study Space.

"Gellert Grindelwald," Tom asked distractedly, "Didn't you fail? How does the Acolyte still have so much power that even Scamander has to hide?"

"My failure doesn't mean they failed," Gellert Grindelwald replied.

"Can I get in touch with him?" Tom asked Albus Dumbledore.

Albus Dumbledore. "I can write a letter for you and send it along with the mail; he will reply."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Tom left Albus Dumbledore's office happily.

Inside the Study Space, Gellert Grindelwald leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes vacant.

"Mr. Grindelwald, what happened to those Acolyte you mentioned earlier?"

Gellert Grindelwald remained silent for a long time. "Some died, some were imprisoned. The rest went into hiding; some infiltrated the Ministry of Magic, some went abroad, and some changed their ways and started new lives."

"The Ministry of Magic hasn't dealt with them yet?"

"We've purged a portion," Gellert Grindelwald's voice was a little hoarse. "Most of the Acolyte ' members were Pure-blood and Half-blood wizards, the backbone of the Europe Wizarding World. If they're all wiped out, the Continental Europe Wizarding World will be without a lineage."