"Why are you so determined to go in?"
Tonks couldn't understand Lewis's refusal.
"There's an entire poacher group in there. You're not seriously treating them like petty thieves, are you?"
"I came here for treasure. And they're after the same thing. If we go to the Ministry, who knows how long it'll take for them to respond—today's Christmas Eve. What if they escape with the treasure by then?"
Tonks nodded. Even as a trainee Auror, she knew full well how inefficient the Ministry could be.
"Besides, even if the Ministry shows up in time, who gets the spoils after they deal with the poachers? Wouldn't that mean I came here for nothing?"
"Anyway, whether you go in or not, I'm going in."
Lewis said it as if nothing could stop him.
"…You…"
His stubbornness left Tonks stuck between anger and worry. Seeing that he was truly about to move, she stomped her foot in frustration.
"Fine, fine! I'll go in with you!"
Whether it was because she couldn't stop him, or because she herself still had a taste for adventure—
Under Lewis's provocation, she finally agreed.
It wasn't surprising.
At this point, she wasn't yet the seasoned Auror who would one day fight Voldemort.
She hadn't joined the Order of the Phoenix, hadn't met Lupin. Her worldview was still forming.
Lewis's provocation was, in truth, a test—
A test to see whether she could be drawn to his side.
Tonks grabbed him and said seriously, "Hey, Lewis. I agreed to go in with you, but I'm the Auror here. Once we're inside, you follow my lead. Got it?"
"Yes, Tonks."
Though he disliked being treated like a child, Lewis knew when to play along.
But since she had already agreed, he decided to push his advantage further.
"By the way, Tonks, since you're coming with me, could you help me with something else? You know Obliviate, right?"
"I do. Why?"
"Those two prisoners—wipe their memories. And anyone else we deal with inside too."
"Why?" Tonks asked.
"Think about it. I'm just a student, not an Auror. I don't need credit for capturing poachers. If they forget me, all the credit goes to you."
He scratched his head as if embarrassed.
"And what if they reveal my identity after getting caught? These poachers have connections everywhere—maybe even inside the Ministry. I don't want to end up on their radar."
"You sly little thing. Now you remember you're just a student?" Tonks laughed, half amused and half exasperated. "Saying it's all for me—sounds like that last reason matters more."
Even so, she agreed readily.
They dragged the two frozen prisoners near the fire. After Lewis dispelled the ice, Tonks restrained them properly and cast Obliviate, erasing their recent memories cleanly.
With that risk removed, Lewis observed her quietly, nodding to himself.
This brief interaction told him a lot about her.
At this age, Tonks was still carefree and straightforward, someone who followed her heart more than rigid rules.
Even as an Auror, she leaned more toward protecting those she favored than strict adherence to procedure.
Her willingness to erase memories without hesitation proved that.
More importantly—
She seemed to genuinely like him.
Whether out of gratitude for being saved, or something else, Lewis could feel her fondness.
It was like an older sister doting on a younger brother.
Though… he didn't rule out that such feelings might evolve in the future.
And for someone like Tonks, liking someone often meant standing firmly on their side.
"Looks like building a connection with her might be the real gain this time."
Lewis thought to himself.
Though he had only been at Hogwarts for half a year…
Though he was still far from his full potential…
He could already foresee a future clash between himself and Dumbledore.
With his growth rate, it wouldn't be long before neither Voldemort nor Dumbledore could truly threaten him.
But power alone wasn't enough.
Humans were social creatures.
Unless he planned to overturn the entire wizarding world and stand alone against everyone—
He needed allies.
In any society, rising forces would inevitably face scrutiny, recruitment, or suppression from the established order.
And Lewis had no intention of bowing his head or suppressing himself to avoid trouble.
Conflict was inevitable.
Because there were too many things about Dumbledore—and this world—that he found unacceptable.
If he refused to compromise—
Then there was only one path forward.
"To reshape this flawed world into what I want it to be."
And to do that—
He needed people.
Like-minded people.
He had already begun laying that foundation within Hogwarts.
And now, Tonks offered a chance to extend that influence into the Ministry itself.
A small step—
But an important one.
Besides, on a personal level, having someone like Tonks as an older sister wasn't bad at all.
Easy on the eyes, too.
Especially since she was a Metamorphmagus.
A rare ability that allowed her to change her appearance at will.
Hair color, facial features—anything, as long as the size difference wasn't too extreme.
She could become anyone.
A true shapeshifter.
Just imagining it was… intriguing.
With that thought, Lewis made his move.
"Tonks, don't bother with the Disillusionment Charm. Leave stealth to me."
In front of her, he cast Invisibility on both of them.
The Auror watched as their bodies faded completely from sight—
An effect even an Invisibility Cloak would struggle to match.
Her reaction was exactly like Hermione's had been.
"What kind of magic is this?"
"Did you invent it yourself?"
"Can I learn it?"
Since she was someone worth recruiting, Lewis held nothing back.
"…Looks like I underestimated you, Lewis."
Tonks stared at him, suppressing her shock.
"So those ice spells earlier—and that floating light—those were your creations too, weren't they?"
"Of course. I'm a genius, after all."
For once, Lewis showed a bit of youthful pride.
No matter how mature his mind was, his body—and hormones—were still those of a boy.
"Yes, yes, you're the greatest genius, Lewis."
Tonks reached out and ruffled his hair by instinct.
"Then it's settled. You'll teach me all of these—especially this Invisibility spell."
"As long as you're willing to learn."
And just like that, the temporary duo—like siblings—set off side by side, heading deeper into the ruins.
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