𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃; ʜᴘ (𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐃)

𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋; ʀᴀsɪɴɢ ᴛᴏᴍ ʀɪᴅᴅʟᴇ 𝐏𝐓.𝟑

TOM SAT IN DEFENSE listening to Professor Merrythought lecture taking notes, until...

"THOMAS MARVOLO POTTER-BLACK, ANSWER YOUR MERLIN DAMN MIRROR!" Ophelia's voice roared through the classroom making everyone jump.

The class turned to stare at Tom as he dove for into bag, and had pulled out the two way mirror and scowled at it.

"Mum! I am in a Defense lesson right now." Had hissed Tom, ignoring the way his heart pounded in his chest. As his mother only used his full name when Tom was in danger.

"Transfiguration. You should go there."

Professor Merrythought scoffed loudly and shot Tom a pointed look.

"I can't leave in the middle of class." Protested Tom. He was genuinely unenthused by the idea.

He and Dumbledore were not on close terms despite Tom's best efforts. Interrupting the professor's class unnecessarily would not improve their relationship. "What are you doing? Why did you call now?"

"We're in Nurmengard." Ophiuchus's voice cut in.

Tom felt the blood drain from his face.

Several students around him gasped.

Professor Merrythought had gaped rather unprofessionally.

"You're in Nurmengard?" Oddly enough Tom could completely believe that his parents had managed to end up in Nurmengard. "How? Why?"

"Well, Ophiuchus and I had met up with Newt and Tina. Have you met Tina? She's an extremely capable American Auror— " Ophelia was cut off by Ophiuchus elbowing her side making her shut up.

"While I do agree, perhaps now is not the time." Suggested Newt tinnily from the background.

"Are all British Wizards insane?" Asked a female voice, presumably Tina.

"Fine, I will introduce you later." said Ophelia . "To continue, the four of us were captured, and I might have made Grindelwald angry, as one does when dealing with a tyrannical madman. So there is a slight possibility— "

"A strong possibility!" corrected Newt.

"—a strong possibility." Agreed Ophelia. "That Grindelwald is now targeting you, personally, to the effect of activating sleeper cells in Hogwarts as a means of seeking revenge."

"What?" Gasped Tom. Sleeper cells ? As in, more than one? In Hogwarts ? How had he not heard about this? Somewhere his information gathering was falling short. He needed to correct this oversight as soon as possible.

"I feel quite awful about it." Ophelia sighed, sounding terribly guilty. "As your parents, it's our job to protect you, not set dark wizards after you as punishment for our cheek."

"-your cheek." Ophiuchus said.

"You very nearly blinded the woman, Ophelia." called Newt. "That's a bit more than cheek. Certainly, higher on the face."

Ophelia, to Tom's utter mortification, chortled at the terrible pun. His mom was simply the worst at times.

A loud gong echoed out from the mirror.

"They're breaking through!" Yelled Tina. She must have had strong lungs because she could be heard quite easily in the classroom.

"Right, must hurry." Ophelia said. "Tom, head on over to the Transfiguration classroom and tell Professor Dumbledore what's going on."

A second much louder gong. "Also perhaps have some of your... friends escort you. Ones whose... friendship you're certain of?"

Those were unnecessarily long pauses before the word friends and friendship. It seemed that his parents had realized Tom was using his school years to gather followers rather than simply socializing. How did they know these things?