Chapter 8
Tom knocked gently on the door to the boy’s room. No answer came from inside, so he knocked again. It wouldn’t do the frighten the boy by barging in. When there was still no response, he mentally reached for the wards, feeling for the boy’s presence in the room. It took a moment to find.
Strangely, the boy appeared to be inside the closet. He knocked again, this time opening the door slowly.
‘Harry?’ he called, then paused. ‘Child, are you here? My name is Tom. I have a gift for you.’
He kept a lingering awareness of the wards in his mind as he moved further into the room, heading towards the walk-in closet. The boy was inside the closet, but Tom could not see him from the bedroom. He moved further in, right inside the closet. The wards said the boy was here, but Tom could not see him. Was he invisible? Was it some sort of accidental magic, maybe?
He held still, trying to reach out and locate the boy more accurately through the wards. Straining his senses, he could hear faint, laboured breathing nearby. He listened intently, then crouched down, peering into the shadows beneath the lower shelves.
A pair of luminous green eyes stared back at him, wide and fearful.
‘What are you doing under there, child? Come out here. I have a gift for you.’
The boy didn’t move.
Tom frowned, shifting to his knees. He leaned down again, head nearly touching the floor, and spoke to the boy. ‘My name is Tom. This is my home. I have welcomed you here, and it is my duty to keep my guests safe. You will not be harmed while you are here.’
Tom paused, letting the words sink in. The boy seemed to sag slightly, relaxing, but didn’t come out. ‘Would you like to see the gift I have for you?’
The boy’s breathing sped up, and he pressed himself harder back into the shadows.
Tom was confused by the boy’s reaction, but decided to keep going. He pulled the boy’s gift from his robe pocket, holding it out to the boy. ‘You previous guardians took away your name, didn’t they? I am giving it back. Your name is Harry. This is a sign to go on your door, so everyone will know your name is Harry.’
The boy’s eyes were wide with wonder now, and after a long moment, he shuffled his way out from under the shelf. He stroked his fingers reverently over the lettering, looking up at Tom’s chin, a question in his eyes.
‘It says Harry. H-A-R-R-Y. That is your name.’
The boy tapped his fingers against his chest, asking me? and Tom nodded. The boy pressed his fingers to his chin, then went back to stroking over the letters. Tom didn’t think the boy would know how to read yet – he was quite young. Not to mention the beasts he had lived with no doubt did not deign to begin educating him in any worthwhile manner.
‘Shall we hang it on your door?’ Tom asked, and the boy – Harry, glanced up, nodding hesitantly, then looking away. He didn’t seem too keen on the idea.
‘Shall we get a second sign, one to hang inside your room, for you to look at?’
The boy’s head whipped up, fixing his surprised, eager gaze on Tom’s chin. Tom smiled. ‘Two signs, then.’
The boy suddenly stiffened, hunching his shoulders and staring into his lap. He shook his head slightly, and Tom thought the boy might be trembling.
‘What happened, b- Harry? Why are you afraid suddenly?’
Harry hunched further, fingers stroking over the sign, before he reluctantly held it out to Tom, who took it gently. ‘Harry?’ he asked, confused.
Harry held up two fingers, then shook his head, hunching down and tucking his hands out of sight in his lap.
‘You don’t want two signs?’ Tom asked.
Harry glanced up, shook his head, then nodded, then shook it more determinedly. He emphasised tucking his hands away again.
‘I don’t know what you mean, Harry.’
Harry’s eyes darted side to side as he thought. He reached out, miming grabbing things and shoving them in his lap, then shook his head emphatically, and tucked his hand away again.
‘Do you think wanting two signs is greedy?’ Tom asked carefully, and Harry nodded. ‘Ah. Well, I disagree. You have had your very name taken away, child. I am giving it back, and that is allowed to take as many signs as necessary. Perhaps I will also have a sign made for the dining table. And the bathroom door. Probably the closet door. One over your bed, of course. A jumper with your name on it? Towels too, I have those in my bathroom.’
Harry stared at his chin with wide eyes, a carefully tamped down spark of hope shining in the green depths. He tapped his chest, a question clear on his face. For me? Are you sure?
‘There is no doubt in my mind, Harry. Now, come along. It wouldn’t do to be late to breakfast. Everyone will be waiting on us.’