Erwin smiled. "It's been a while."
Tom nodded. "Indeed, Master Erwin. What brings you here so suddenly?"
"I've come to check on things and prepare a few items," Erwin replied. "Some plans can start now."
Tom's eyes lit up. "You mean the telecommunications venture you mentioned?"
Erwin nodded. "Exactly. How's your watch on those items I asked about?"
"Just as you predicted, Master Erwin. That mobile phone company you flagged has launched a MicroTAC. It's pricey, but remarkably convenient."
Erwin's lips curved into a grin. "Perfect. Do you have one?"
Tom nodded and produced a prepared device.
Erwin examined it. The design was clunky, but as the first phone to slim down this much, it marked a true milestone.
"I'll take this," Erwin said. "I'll study it and run some tests. Once I crack it, we'll corner the market."
Tom hesitated. "Isn't it a bit premature, Master Erwin? We're already deep in the magical materials trade, and some pure-blood families are grumbling. A full monopoly might turn them outright hostile."
Erwin raised an eyebrow. "Already drawing attention? Which family?"
"The Yaxleys."
Erwin chuckled softly. "Of course it's them. Lady Luck smiles on me yet."
Tom frowned doubtfully. "What now, sir? Shall I call in our people?"
Erwin shook his head. "No rush. Let the Yaxleys come sniffing around again. Just ensure word spreads—they're targeting us poor first-year Hogwarts students with a bit of coin and a shop to scrape by. We're just unlucky sods, pitiful underdogs."
Tom nodded. "Understood, Master Erwin."
A cold gleam flickered in Erwin's eyes. In any world or age, the underdog always stirred sympathy. Even a cornered rabbit bites—and by then, it holds the advantage, playing the victim card.
"Yes, Master Erwin. I'll handle the arrangements."
Erwin leaned back in his chair. "Any news from the family?"
Tom shook his head. "Business as usual."
"Good." Erwin extended a hand. "Your arm."
Tom complied without question, rolling up his sleeve. Erwin tapped his wand to the Communication Rune etched on the skin.
Channeling magic, Erwin inscribed a Whispering Charm.
Moments later, he withdrew the wand. "There. Now you can reach me directly through the rune—just speak, and it'll connect. It's easier for me to pop into Diagon Alley these days. Any trouble, call, and I'll Apparate over. Since you lack magic, I've tweaked it for you: press your finger to the top of the rune to activate."
Tom eyed the unchanged mark curiously.
"After this term," Erwin added, "I'll see if we can awaken magic in you."
Excitement lit Tom's face. "Me? I could wield magic?"
In the wizarding world, Tom had marveled at countless spells and enchantments. He'd longed to join them, but without innate power, it seemed impossible.
Erwin nodded. "Some promising leads, though it'll be tricky. We'll experiment over the holidays."
Erwin recalled what Snape had mentioned: rumors that Grindelwald could bestow magic on Muggles. True or not, dealing with Grindelwald was no simple matter. The man wanted for nothing, bound only by his word to Nurmengard. If he desired something, his acolytes would fetch it without question. What could Erwin offer?
Still, if a sliver of hope existed, Erwin would pursue it. And truth be told, he felt a spark of curiosity—perhaps even admiration—for Grindelwald. The man's vision was visionary, far ahead of its time, rejected only because the wizarding world clung to the old ways. His haste was the fatal flaw. With the acolytes' subtle infiltration tactics, breaking through from a single weak point... the outcome might have differed.
As the old saying went, power lay with the masses. Grindelwald and Voldemort had overlooked that. But Erwin hadn't. Reborn with a Muggle education steeped in grassroots strategy, he grasped it intimately.
That knowledge set him on a divergent path from both dark wizards.
Erwin lingered in the shop over an hour, gauging the trade. Business hummed steadily, but profit margins were modest. The original intent—to build a stable enterprise—had evolved. Magical materials remained viable, but the Yaxleys' interference nixed any monopoly dreams. Scant earnings like these held little appeal.
Monopoly awaited elsewhere, though. Erwin had laid meticulous traps for the Yaxleys, eager for them to stumble in. He hoped they'd stir more chaos; it would paint him the righteous victim when he struck back.
By noon, he bid Tom farewell and returned to Hogwarts.
Erwin materialized in the dormitory.
The next instant, a sharp cry echoed.
"He collapsed to the ground, completely unconscious!"
...
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