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

Tom didn't pause turning the pages, not even lifting his eyelids, his voice as cold as the stone slabs of an underground classroom: "If you're here to show off your meager vocabulary, Lux, I suggest you go talk to the troll's portrait; your intelligence levels might resonate more."

"Tsk, still so stubborn." Lux curled her lip, cutting to the chase without beating around the bush, "I'll introduce you to a job: tutor Vera in Potions, starting with the most basic material processing and heat control, one silver potion a day?"

Tom finally raised his head, as if looking at an incomprehensible madman. He didn't even bother to respond to the insulting offer, simply uttering two cold words: "Boring."

After saying that, he prepared to refocus his attention on the book.

However, his inner world was far from as calm as it appeared. Since the start of the semester, he had spent a great deal of time observing his so-called pureblood followers, such as Abraxas Malfoy.

He discovered that, aside from their constant talk of family honor and their disdain for "Mudbloods," these people were utterly lacking in genuine magical talent and thirst for knowledge.

Their excellence is more based on the resources provided by their families and the influence they received from a young age, rather than on their true talent.

What he seeks is pure and powerful strength, not empty labels of lineage.

Although the most outstanding wizards in the magical world are all pure-bloods, such as Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Duppert, these are all established wizards.

But this left Tom feeling slightly disappointed.

Tom's gaze inadvertently swept over the girl named Vera in front of him; he knew her identity, of course.

A werewolf, a creature considered dangerous and unclean by the magical world, yet possessing primal and wild magic.

He had never personally experienced, much less studied, the magical transformation during wolf transformation, the dramatic changes in physical form, or the mechanism of action of wolf venom potion. All of this was an unknown magical realm to him.

The allure of knowledge and power itself is far more valuable than engaging in tedious social interactions with purebloods.

He closed the book, leaned forward slightly, and his face regained its Slytherin-like elegance and composure, as if the indifference just moments before was merely an illusion.

"Okay," he said calmly, "but she must join my Magical Mutual Aid Society."

This was not a spur-of-the-moment request, but a well-thought-out idea.

Bringing Vera into his circle not only allowed him to observe and study her closely, but also sent a clear signal to his followers: Tom Riddle valued unique and powerful strength, not just lineage.

"No problem!" Vera agreed eagerly before Lux could even speak.

For her, it didn't matter which club she joined, as long as she could learn potion-making, especially since the leader of this club seemed so impressive.

Lux shrugged, offering no objection.

She was well aware of Tom's little "game of power," but didn't care.

She even thought it was better this way. Placing Vera next to Tom would allow her to learn something and also have her keep an eye on Tom's every move. It was a perfect arrangement.

"Sure," she said lazily. "Anyway, I occasionally go to your place to teach Charms, so it'll be good to have another acquaintance. It's settled then. Future Potions Master Vera, I'll be counting on you from now on, Mr. Tom."

She emphasized the word "teacher" and successfully saw Tom's lips twitch.

With the deal finalized, Vera's face beamed with undisguised excitement and anticipation.

That evening, in an abandoned classroom in the castle, a dozen floating candles illuminated the small space, casting swaying shadows on the walls.

This is Tom Riddle's secret meeting place for his "Magic Mutual Aid Society," and the air is filled with a faint smell of old parchment.

The members of the mutual aid society were mostly Slytherin students, many of whom came from pure-blood families. They were sitting quietly in their seats, looking at Tom, who was standing in the center of the classroom, with either awe or admiration in their eyes.

Tom was dressed in a neat Slytherin uniform, standing tall and with a gentle yet aloof smile on his face.

He didn't waste any words; his clear and steady voice rang out in the dimly lit classroom: "Today, we welcome a new member."

His gaze shifted to Vera, who stood somewhat uneasy in the doorway.

"Miss Vera is from Gryffindor." Tom's introduction was concise and powerful, skillfully avoiding any potentially controversial words. "She possesses unique perspectives and talents in certain areas that none of us can match. I believe that her joining will bring new knowledge and strength to our mutual aid society."

He deliberately concealed Vera's werewolf identity.

This was not for protection, but because this secret was his unique asset, a bargaining chip that he could study and exploit.

The Slytherin students murmured amongst themselves, all eyes turning to Vera.

A half-Gryffindor? And a first-year student? Although filled with doubts and an innate aversion to pure-bloodedness, no one raised any objections due to their near-absolute faith in Tom Riddle.

They simply scrutinized this outsider who had intruded into their circle with a condescending, superior gaze.

Vera felt a little uncomfortable being stared at and instinctively clutched the textbook in her arms.

Just then, the classroom door was pushed open with a flourish, and a golden figure swayed in.

"Oh, a meeting? Does it feel a bit incomplete without me as a visiting professor?" Lux's voice instantly broke the oppressive atmosphere.

She crossed her arms and leaned lazily against the door frame, her gaze sweeping across the room before finally settling on an equally dazzling figure in the crowd.

"Marlena, you actually came too? I thought you weren't interested in these kinds of gatherings." Lux raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a familiar teasing tone.

Upon hearing this, Malena Rozier, who was sitting in the corner, slowly raised her head.

She had beautiful dark brown curly hair and sharp eyes. A playful smile curved her lips, and her voice carried a lazy, magnetic quality: "Where you are, there's always something interesting, isn't there, Lux?"

The two engaged in a witty exchange, oblivious to everyone else. The familiarity and the atmosphere that no one else could intrude made Vera's heart sink.

She didn't know the girl named Malena, but she could clearly sense that there was a tacit understanding between the girl and Lux ​​that she couldn't comprehend.

Malena was confident and powerful, exuding the composure of a pure-blooded noblewoman that was something this little werewolf, who had just entered the magical world and even felt inferior about her own identity, lacked.

Vera's gaze shifted back and forth between Lux and Malena. She saw Lux walk up to Malena and the two whisper to each other. Lux had a smile on her face that Vera had never seen before, a smile that was both helpless and indulgent.

At that moment, Vera felt like an outsider.

She instinctively hugged the textbook in her arms, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force, and the smile on her face became somewhat stiff.

She didn't say anything, but silently kept this scene in her heart. A strong desire to become stronger and to truly stand by Lux's side, rather than being protected by her, quietly grew in her heart like vines.

The meeting quickly got down to business, and Tom began to explain the principles of making a complex antidote. His voice was clear and logical, and he explained each step in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

Vera tried to concentrate on listening, writing down every detail on the parchment, but her peripheral vision kept drifting to the golden figure chatting happily with Malena.

As night deepened, the fireplace flames in the common room of the Gryffindor Tower gradually dimmed, leaving only a few pieces of charcoal emitting a warm red glow.

Most of the students had already returned to their dorm rooms, but Lux and Vera were still sitting on the most comfortable sofa in front of the fireplace.

"How was it? Did you understand Tom's lessons?" Lux yawned and asked lazily.

"Yes, he explained it very well and in great detail." Vera nodded, her voice a little muffled. She hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "Lux, that... Malena, is she very good?"

Lux paused for a moment, then understood. She ruffled Vera's hair and said with a smile, "Marlene Rozier, the young lady from France, quite talented and intelligent, just a bit arrogant. Actually, she's a nice person. What, were you scared by her?"

"No..." Vera shook her head and said softly, "I just feel... you two seem to know each other very well."

"It's alright, we became friends after a fight," Lux replied casually, not wanting to explain the complicated historical issues between herself, Malena, and the Rozier family.

She subtly changed the subject, looking at Vera with a serious expression. "Don't overthink it, Vera. Didn't you decide today to become a Potions Master? Tell me, what are your plans for the future?"

When her dream was mentioned, Vera's eyes lit up again, and the slight disappointment she had felt earlier vanished.

She straightened her back, as if making a vow.

"I will become the greatest potion master!" Her voice was filled with power. "I will improve the wolfsbane potion—no, I will invent a completely new potion, without any side effects, that will allow all werewolves to maintain their sanity on the night of the full moon, and even control that power. I will ensure that all people like me will no longer suffer, no longer be treated as monsters!"

Her ideals were pure and noble, stemming from her own suffering and filled with compassion for her fellow human beings.

Lux listened quietly, a warm and encouraging smile on her face.

She was genuinely happy for Vera, the little girl who had struggled in despair, who had finally found the goal she would fight for her whole life. However, beneath her warm smile lay a completely different way of thinking, belonging to another world.

"What a good kid..." Lux thought to herself. "Clear goals, full of motivation, a typical protagonist template, unlike me, whose mind is only on how to finish the system tasks, collect all those damn runes, then buy a big manor in a beautiful countryside, raise a bunch of Puffs and house-elves, and live a lazy retirement life where I can sleep in every day and spend my free time researching how to bake cakes with magic."

The conflicts of this world, Grindelwald's ambitions, Voldemort's rise... to her, they are all just necessary hurdles and high-difficulty dungeons before reaching the perfect ending CG.

She will fight and try to solve the problem, but her goal is not to save the world, but to beat the game, then uninstall and retire.

This sense of alienation, rooted deep in her soul, is the biggest difference between her and the world.

She wouldn't tell Vera any of this, but simply reached out and ruffled Vera's hair, saying in a relaxed tone, "Then you'd better work hard, future great potion master. When you invent a new potion, remember to give it to me first as a souvenir, so I can show it off to everyone and say that it was invented by my little wolf girl."

"Yes!" Vera nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with anticipation for the future.

The two chatted for a while longer until the fireplace flames died down completely, then Lux urged Vera to go back to her dorm to sleep. She herself yawned and slowly walked back to her familiar dorm room.

My roommates were already fast asleep, and the room was quiet except for the sound of their even breathing.

Lux tiptoed to her bedside, preparing to pull back the covers. However, when her hand reached for the pillow, she touched a hard, cool texture unlike the soft pillowcase.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly threw off the pillow.

A letter made of fine parchment, without any markings, lay quietly under a clean white pillowcase, as if it had appeared out of thin air.

Lux's sleepiness vanished instantly.

She picked up the envelope, and a very delicate violet scent wafted into her nostrils.

She was all too familiar with that taste.

She unfolded the letter, revealing lines of elegant yet sharp handwriting, the content concise to the point of being almost a command:

My Shadow:

I've encountered some unexpected trouble in the Soviet magical world, related to runes. I need your power. Come immediately. Your address will appear after the letter is burned.

The pale rose never fades.

Lux tightened her grip on the letter slightly, feeling a throbbing sensation in her temples.

"No, is LeBlanc really portrayed as a smart person? How come she's always causing trouble for me to deal with?"

She walked to the window, looked at the bright moon outside, and silently calculated the date in her mind.

Tomorrow is the beginning of December, Christmas... it'll be here soon.

She had originally planned to go back to the Woods Orphanage this Christmas to bring some things for the children and, incidentally, to further strengthen Tom's bond.

"I knew it," Lux let out an almost inaudible sigh, filled with exhaustion and helplessness, "These damn runes won't let me go."

She turned around, looked at the letter, and resignedly ruffled her messy blonde hair.

It seems that Christmas won't be happening again this year.

Lux touched the letter with her finger, and the letter immediately burst into flames, the tiny ash turning into a piece of text.

Looshi district, Pohjarvi village.