Hogwarts: Lacus doesn't want to be a witch who destroys nations.

At King's Cross Station in London, Platform 9¾ was still bustling with people, mostly students returning to Hogwarts, but an indescribable sense of oppression hung in the air.

Lux, pulling her suitcase, still shone brightly in the dim light of the platform. Lumi, in the wicker basket slung across her shoulder, poked her furry head out and curiously looked around: "Hey sis, look at these people, why are they all so dejected?"

"I don't know," Lux replied casually.

Tom Riddle walked beside Lux, his steps still elegant, calmly surveying his surroundings.

He keenly noticed the difference: the platform, which used to be packed with people, was still bustling, but some familiar faces were gone, and the small groups that used to surround the heirs of pure-blood families were now sparse.

"It's not an illusion, there are fewer people." Tom's voice was calm and even, as if stating a trivial fact.

He noticed several upperclassmen Slytherins huddled together, whispering to each other with serious expressions.

"Huh? Missing?" Lux stood on tiptoe to peek. "Did they all oversleep? Or..." She remembered what happened before Christmas, "Did Grindelwald really attack? Did he scare everyone away?"

Tom glanced at her, ignored her words, and pushed his luggage toward the Hogwarts Express.

They found a relatively empty private room. Lux had just finished stuffing her luggage and was about to take out some Honey Duke toffee when the door to the private room was opened.

A round-faced, somewhat nervous Hufflepuff boy stood in the doorway, his Hedgehog badge gleaming on his chest. He adjusted his glasses and said hesitantly, "Uh... excuse me, the next booth is full... may I sit here?"

Lux waved enthusiastically, "Of course, come in and sit down, there are plenty of seats. I'm Lux, and this is Tom. Would you like some candy?" She generously handed over the toffee.

The boy, flattered, accepted the candy and carefully sat down next to Tom. "Thank you. My name is Amos Diggory, a first-year student at Hufflepuff."

He paused, a little embarrassed, "I know you, Lux! You were on the Daily Prophet's cover! 'The Flying Kick Witch,' so cool!"

"Pfft!" Lux almost choked on her saliva. "No, it really says that. I'm just an ordinary, helpful citizen passing by. Just call me Lux."

Tom's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, clearly indicating that he also disliked the nickname "Flying Kick Witch," but he maintained perfect silence, simply opening a textbook as if he were the only person in the room.

The train slowly started moving, and the grey buildings of London outside the window were gradually replaced by fields covered with a thin layer of snow.

Amos seemed to have a lot to say, and looking at Lux with affection, he couldn't help but whisper, "Miss Lux, don't you notice there are far fewer people on the bus?"

"Indeed." Lux immediately moved closer. "What happened? Did Grindelwald attack? Did he scare them away?"

Amos quickly waved his hand: "No... but it's still pretty scary. My dad told me that; he works at the Ministry of Magic."

His voice lowered, tinged with worry, "Grindelwald and his Saints... the Sorcerers, are becoming increasingly active in Europe. They've attacked wizarding families who openly oppose Grindelwald, and even some Ministry of Magic officials. The scenes are said to be horrific."

Tom paused slightly as he turned the pages, but didn't look up.

“Some families are scared,” Amos continued, “especially those with roots in Europe or relatives in dangerous areas. They fear that Grindelwald’s influence will spread to Britain, or that retaliatory actions will affect the children studying at Hogwarts. So they have transferred some of their children to Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in America.”

"Ilvermoni?" Lux vaguely remembered the name. "Is that the school that supposedly uses horned water snakes and goblins as symbols?"

Amos nodded: "Yes, that's it. I heard they stopped Grindelwald and stayed away from the conflicts in Europe, which is why there were fewer people on the train. My dad said the Ministry of Magic is under a lot of pressure right now, and the Aurors are extremely busy, afraid that Grindelwald will reach out his hand."

Tom finally closed the book, looked at Amos, and asked in a calm but undeniably authoritative voice, "Did Mr. Diggory reveal anything else? Any possible next move by Grindelwald?"

Amos felt a little nervous under Tom's gaze and pushed up his glasses: "No... that's all I know. My father didn't dare to say more. He only said that Grindelwald's 'wizardism' was dangerous. Wizards are certainly much stronger than Muggles, but the methods they use are too extreme, and many people are afraid of them."

"Witchcraft supremacy..." Tom repeated softly, a glint of something unreadable flashing in his eyes. He didn't press further, reopening the book, but his mind was clearly no longer on it.

Lux patted Amos on the shoulder, adopting a bossy tone: "Relax, Amos, Dumbledore's got the sky's the limit. Besides, Hogwarts is the safest place. Let's eat and drink as usual, study hard, and improve ourselves. By the way, is it true that you have an unlimited supply of cookies in the Hufflepuff common room kitchen? Bring some for me to try next time?"

Although Lux didn't know what had happened in the original story during that time, there was no doubt that Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald.

The relaxed atmosphere temporarily dispelled the oppressive feeling in the box. Lux chatted with Amos about how warm the Hufflepuff greenhouse and the Hedgehog's common room were, and complained that the Slytherin common room was like a basement.

Tom, on the other hand, was lost in his own world. Occasionally, Lux's outrageous remarks would make his lips twitch, such as suggesting that introducing Peeves to a ghost girlfriend might stop him from playing pranks. But most of the time, he was like a perfect sculpture, with only his eyes occasionally gazing at the scenery rushing past the window.

The Hogwarts Express arrived at Hogsmeade Station in the chilly winds of the Scottish Highlands. The familiar lake reflected the castle lights, and the oak gates opened once again for them.

However, upon entering the brightly lit Great Hall, Lux keenly sensed that the atmosphere was more somber than at previous years' opening banquet. At the faculty table, Dumbledore still sat next to the Headmaster, a gentle smile on his face, but a hint of worry seemed to linger in his eyes.

The other professors also mostly had serious expressions. The number of hourglasses in the four colleges was less than before Christmas, as the hourglasses also tallied the scores of some families' children when they left.

The dinner was still lavish, but the students seemed to be talking in hushed tones.

As Lux stuffed some grilled meat into her mouth, she muttered to Lumi in her mind, "Lumi, look at Old Deng, isn't something wrong?"

Although Dumbledore maintained a smile, his mind was clearly not in the Great Hall; he was whispering with Headmaster Armando Dippet.

"It looks like it to me! And this auditorium feels so empty!" Lumi replied, gnawing on a chicken bone that Lux had secretly given her.

After the dinner, they returned to the familiar Gryffindor Tower. The warm, noisy common room helped Lux ​​relax a little. Anna, Phoebe, and Mia surrounded her, bombarding her with questions about her Christmas holiday adventures.

Lux, naturally embellishing the story, recounted the tale of "the flying kick witch outsmarting the werewolf gang," eliciting gasps of surprise from her roommates.

However, when the noise subsided, Lux lay on the four-poster bed, looking at the canopy above, her thoughts drifting elsewhere. Her system panel silently opened, and in her inventory, the [Perfect Wolfsbane Potion Recipe], emitting a faint glow, lay quietly.