Harry
They walk to the Dungeons without a problem, as expected. He wards Tom's bed and trunk without a hitch, as expected. The prefects meeting would definitely have been a waste of his time, as expected.
"Walk with me to the first year dorms", and Cygnus will, Harry knows. He does. They enter.
Tom is sitting on his bed. His pajamas are a faded grey, with a black piping that has torn open in places to reveal the thin white cord underneath.
An idea, but very impossible.
It's not like a force of nature or two could be reasoned with, after all.
Perhaps then, it would work.
And Tom knew about the cloak now too.
In a week then, the next Saturday.
He would add a postscript.
He moves closer to Tom, bending down to whisper only between them, even as the rest watch on. "The password to the Gryffindor common rooms is 'Apple Pie' this week. If you need to find me for any reason, you have the Map, Tom. Be safe. I will see you tomorrow morning. Have a good night. Sweet dreams."
And then he echoes his Mom in more than words. He bends down to place a kiss gently on the boy's head. He doesn't wait for a reaction. He doesn't wait. He—
"Goodnight everyone, goodnight Tom"
Wishes them as he walks through the door, Cygnus in tow.
He pushes that memory up behind the strongest walls he can muster right now, intent only on revisiting when he met Tom tomorrow, and saw his reaction awake in-person.
Until then he refused to worry.
Refused to let it keep him awake.
Even if it did succeed for a bit at the start.
What if Tom hated that he did that? What if he was embarrassed to be kissed goodnight in front of his friends? By Harry of all people? What if they asked him weird questions? What if they teased him? Bullied him in words now that Harry had made sure the actions would stop?
Nevermind, bed!
His mind wanders again as he lays down. He thinks about everything that has happened today, and the main catalyst that stands out is impatience.
He is confused. He has learned nothing but patience in this life. The quality of learning to wait. To savour. To bide his time.
Nothing happened here, after all. Nothing remotely interesting. Or dangerous. Or exciting. What happened were his parents. But they didn't have adventure. They had shenanigans. Harry was unsure about those.
Carefree was not a word ever used to describe Harry Potter.
Carefree was impossible when you had Lord Voldemort out for blood like clockwork once a year. Someone kept rewinding the bastard.
And then, there was no more Lord Voldemort. There was no more Hermione, or Ron. No more Weasleys. No more Neville and Luna. No more family.
And although Harry had raged at not knowing, he had consoled himself with the knowledge that atleast they had known to kill the snake.
If they killed both Nagini and Lord Voldemort, the Wizarding world would be free of his tyranny. His friends would be free. And they knew their path to freedom.
And if not.
If not. If He had indeed got to them. To all of them. Then atleast....they would board a train too. They would be back too, in a distant place, just as him. Hopefully just as surrounded by love and affection and family.
Tonight, his thoughts feel as jumbled up as they did in the first five years of this life, before he had practiced enough Occlumency and meditation.
Before he had found calm, or rather a coma, as he has found out today. Today has been quite the revelation.
If you had told him in his last life, that he would meet baby Voldemort when he was thirty, he would have probably laughed and cast a tripping jinx in a second, the image conjured up so jarring and impossible!
And yet, it had happened today. He had met Tom Riddle today. A new Tom Riddle. A different Tom Riddle. The same Tom Riddle. Harry's Tom Riddle. Not a mere memory in a fifty year old diary. Harry's Tom Riddle in flesh and blood and Magic.
A boy who was now his friend!Never an association he would have thought of in conjunction with Lord Voldemort.
He really needs sleep. He needs to be up early tomorrow morning to wait for Tom. He needs—
To send off his letter with Norbert, his owl in this life. There was no Hedwig here after all. And he wanted to keep the memory of the man who had introduced him to Magic alive. No matter his now evolved thoughts at the timing of his introduction.
Nevermind, Merlin! Mediation is back to the top, right after he's done with this post-script.
He flips his letter over.
「Are you up to any good, Mom?」
Then charms the rest of his message to only appear when she spoke the words, and appear only to her.
「He's a Muggleborn in Slytherin, and he could do with having a conversation with someone who understands, even just a bit.
He could also do with new things, but he is intelligent and proud. Very intelligent and very very proud.
I will let you pick one more person to bring with you to Hogsmeade next weekend. To meet him. Just one. Hopefully Moony but I leave that up to you.
Make sure they understand.
I love you. Harry.
I miss you all. I miss you.
」
Owlery it is. He has his cloak, but he's a prefect now, no need to sneak around the castle. Such a relief!
It is a quick trip, Norbert flies off, and he's trudges back to Gryffindor tower, to bed. Sleep is still elusive, yet he wishes not to dwell on those memories again.
Meditation it is, he decides, until he falls asleep naturally.
He focuses on clearing his mind. On paying attention to his body, lying on the bed.
Each individual toe, left then right, the ball, the arch, the heel, the crown, ankle, shin, calf, the joint of his knee....
He is pretty relaxed once he reaches his head, most of the lingering remains fade away as the present seeps in.
He feels every breath with intensity, feels his barriers solidifying once again. Brick by mental brick. Confronts each remnant and disposes of it in its place behind the wall.
Sleep and waking are in the same breath.
He feels his heart beat just as fast as it had yesterday when it met his friend Tom Riddle for the first time.
He isn't sure what he feels at the revelation.
What he feels though, is a general anticipation!
Waking is quick, making his bed is quick. The hot hot shower is quick. He absent-mindedly (yeah right!) picks his mother's favourite shirt on him. Its his favorite too, okay! Merlin! (Green to match your eyes, the green of his yearly Weasley knitwear)
Guess the meditation had had no effect on the intruding thoughts. Merlin. No matter, he'll try again tonight.
For now, Tom.
His walk through the castle is full of purpose. The windows are still dark, even as he can see dawn slightly breaking. Perfect timing, as always. (Yeah sure!)
This time for this thing, atleast. Now if he really had perfect timing, he would have finished Lord Voldemort off and then boarded a train. Now that he knows this life has some adventure after all!
Excitement! Baby Tom Riddle!And his parents! He would tie up all loose ends, say his goodbyes to his friends and then come back. If only!
His mind clears naturally as he reaches the Dungeons, standing in front of the same portrait from his second year his first time around. No movement. No matter.
He leans against the wall for about twenty minutes before he decides against continuing as such, and conjures up a comfortable enough chair with a folding table on one arm.
He fishes out the list of his days of rounds, the classes timetable Cygnus had given him and his notebook, intent on creating a daily schedule he could keep up with.
Including time to both answer Tom's questions and to teach him something new. Maybe a spell. A potion. A rune sequence. If the boy was interested, ofcourse. But Harry is sure he will be. Being who he is. Merlin, he was willing to discuss his mom's nonsense book yesterday as a first year on his second day at Hogwarts, he remembers with a smile.
He works through the time that will not be taken up with classes and sleep. The weekends were to be left free.
He considers creating Tom one too, then decides against it. He doesn't want to be overbearing after all. And he doesn't have Tom's classes either. An inward eye roll as he puts up his stationery and quills, and starts to stand and stretch just as the Portrait swings.
It is just a random Slytherin who almost gives him a double take, probably at the color of the trim of his robes. Red was out of place around these parts after all.
He says nothing, Harry says nothing, finishes his stretch as the boy walks away, and waits.
Few more students, few more looks, and then—
Tom walks out of the hole in the wall when the frame swings again. He has a familiar parchment in his hand. Harry smiles.
"Good morning, Tom, sleep well?"
Oh. Merlin. The kiss. Or maybe not. Hmm.
Tom looks at him with his eyes wide, and yet his lips hint at a curve. He has not moved. Or said anything.
"Good morning" a pause that hints at an aborted continuation. "It was a good sleep once it started." And then Tom looks away suddenly into the distance of the corridor before them.
"Yeah, I could say the same", he admits. "Hogwarts tends to have that effect." A lie, atleast for him. He had stayed awake for other reasons. Not right now.
Tom looks back at him to nod before he starts moving closer, and Harry, still standing, turns to vanish his chair and picks up his bag.
As Tom reaches him, he reaches over to his shoulder, moving the newfound strap onto his own left shoulder. Tom looks up at him but continues to walk, and Harry falls in step beside him in a short stride.
He walks them to the Great Hall, picking the Map out of Tom's hand and placing it back in his bag. Tom's bag, obviously. Even though, for a second his reflexes trap him.
They take a seat at the usual place, and thank Merlin, there's maybe thirty students in total up already. Sunday was the day to really sleep in after all.
He fills Tom's plate again before he fills his own, busy wondering how today would go, when he spies Norbert flying back with a small cloth bound package.
He unties the knots and unshrinks it with a tap of his wand, before he turns to Tom who is now looking at him all curious.
There is a letter right at the top, in her hand that reads 'Harry', so he picks it up, flipping it open.
「My darling,
Congratulations on making a friend. I am so proud of you, Harry. I know he will be wonderful. I cannot wait to have him over for Christmas.
Actually, it seems James would like to start and it's too late to argue.(A different hand.) —If you skip the mirror tomorrow I'm apparating to the Forest with Pads and sneaking into your dorms. So. Yeah.
Now that he's done with his usual, I owled over another one of your own school bags, we purchased quite a few when school started after all. I also included my own school books for all years. I hope he doesn't mind the margins, they should only help.
The books, I didn't find many that would be helpful, they are over two decades old after all. Merlin, I'm getting old, Harry. You'll take care of me, won't you?
I will go through F&B tomorrow, see what I can get your friend. Your friend! I am so happy Harry! So happy to hear that! My baby boy, now with a friend.
I can't wait to meet him. I'm already planning for Christmas, don't worry. Actually, now that I think about it, I can stop by Hogsmeade today, after, if you'd like to sneak out. And you didn't read that from me, ofcourse.
I miss you Harry. I would like to see you today, or tomorrow as it were after lunch. Please let me know if you are able to make it.
If you are able to bring him. I would love to meet him. Please let me know. I'm waiting to see your patronus.
I love you so so much my darling boy, and I am so so happy <3
Until I see you again, be safe, Harry.
You know how much I love you.
Mom <3
」
Tom is still looking at him as he finishes reading and he considers his options. It would be nice to have this first short meeting be with just one person, and Lily was the perfect choice. Tom needed a friend. Another friend. Even if it was Harry's mom.
"Any plans today, Tom?" He has to ask. What if the boy did? He only gets a blank look in return.
"Would you like to learn a secret?" He says instead, wishing to vanish that look and regain those curved lips.
"A secret?"
"Yes. And it's a secret secret", he adds hurriedly with a laugh. Tom smiles a real smile.
"Yes", is Tom's response. "Let's finish up breakfast and walk back up to the library for now. We'll get to the secret in a little bit." He decides.
Norbert has already flown off, so Harry shrinks the package once more and sets it into his bag. Neither he nor Tom have started on breakfast yet, and the Hall is filling up as more students wake.
Tom looks him as if trying to unravel the mystery solely with his analysis of Harry's words. He's not going to come close. Harry knows this.
"Finish your breakfast Tom", and the boy really needs to. He cannot skip a single bite. Harry has already taken care not to overfill his plate either, not wanting any resulting guilt at wastage, if that had possibly been a concern. So he really needed the plate cleared.
They finish up the food quick, and they're walking out the doors as the Hall is now half full.
Harry walks them back to the library, placing both bags in the middle of the table. He pushes them inwards as he takes out the package, unshrinking it again.
"She sent over the bag like I asked her to", Tom's eyes focused at the cloth.
He unties the knots, cloth falling away to reveal a shiny black and gold leather bag an exact match to Harry's, two small red Gringotts pouches and the letter Harry had placed back in there.
"She also sent over her own subject books from her years at Hogwarts. They do have scribbled in margins, but those are scribbles you want to read, I promise. "
Tom only nods, his face blank again.
"They should be in the bag." Another nod.
"You can go through them, and switch over bags too." He really doesn't know what to say, honestly.
Tom does as he's told, pulling the bag towards him slowly, bunching up the fabric underneath. Harry pulls it away, picking up the letter and the pouches. A quick glance reveals it to be two five-hundred galleon bags. Wow. She was really spoiling him. This was more Sirius' thing. Atleast he doesn't have to decide on any of his owl-order catalog choices. Anything and everything, he decides. And yet, slow. Too fast and Tom would run.
Tom was making good progress moving his books and stationery over, so Harry busies himself choosing his next words.
"Not that much of a surprise, after all. My mother has asked to meet us at the village just outside Hogwarts. Called Hogsmeade. Maybe an hour or so. After lunch."
Umm, that's only a statement of fact.
"She invited you over specifically, and she would love to meet you. It's a secret because the way out of the castle is secret."
Still not a question.
"Would you like to come with me to meet her, Tom? She will be stopping by after purchasing some books for you at Diagon Alley. You don't have to feel pressured into meeting her so soon, if you won't want to though." The last part is required.
And yet.
"But you should know, she would absolutely love to meet you. She cannot wait for Christmas already. I think I'll be hearing about that in every letter."
Silence. Tom has stopped moving his things. He just looks at Harry.
"So, well?", he needs an answer.
"She knows about me?" Tom's voice is full on wonder.
"I wrote to her last night, about the bag, as I said I would. And the books. It's Sunday, so she doesn't mind going in and stopping by. She stops by every Hogsmeade weekend anyway, or most of them. Dad's busier as an Auror. Magical Police." He adds.
Not an Auror, the Head Auror, but still. It was all the same thing. Too much for a child like Harry. Ugh. He had to come to Hogwarts,again.
And yet.
If he hadn't, he wouldn't have met Tom Riddle. Wouldn't have been hugged by Tom Riddle. Harry had kissedhim goodnight for Merlin's sake!!
Silence. Followed by, "I would like to meet her as well."
"I'll let her know", he replies and looks for the Mirror he had placed in his bag this morning.
"Mom", a pause as he sees his own reflection until he doesn't. Bright red and green fills his vision. "Darling. He said yes?"
Harry's eyes rush to look at Tom, who is now looking at him with that blank look again, hand paused in his bag, unmoving. Listening, Harry wants to laugh.
"He said yes, yes." Lily's eyes look at him knowing, her smile full of mischief.
"I am so excited to finally meet you, Tom" and Harry wants to groan. "I will get some of Harry's baby photos to make it fair, don't worry." And he cannot stop his rebuke even as she laughs him off. "Mom!"
It changes nothing. "I've been waiting for you Tom, and it is nice to meet you, or will be, soon. Bye darling, I'm on my way to floo there now. You do know how much I love you, don't you? And how happy I am?" Merlin!
"See you soon, mom, please!"
"Bye Harry", she laughs.
He cannot with them!
Tom is looking at him with such curiosity, he doesn't know that to say.
"And she's kind-of the sanest of the lot. Moony's a bit better, but in a different way. That's my Godfather's husband. Remus Lupin-Black."
A pause. "If... she doesn't like me" he starts and Harry interrupts before he can continue.
"She already loves you. She loves you as my friend. My only friend. Don't worry, Tom. Didn't I ask you to write to her if you had questions about the Map? It will be alright! Prefect actually! Trust me?" He hopes.
The answering "Yes" is a whisper.
Their eyes stay locked for a second before Tom continues with the last of his things. He folds up his now empty old bag and places that in too, before he reaches in for Charms book once more. Almost at the end now, Harry notices. As expected from Tom Riddle. He is ever more grateful to his mother for her quick thinking, her teasing notwithstanding.
"You're going to get along really well, and she's probably going to want to adopt you in the first minute." A safe compliment. And yet.
Another idea. A big idea. Huge.
He had considered it in a largely unfocused way, but yes, getting Tom away from the orphanage is vital. And yet.
He didn't know if Tom would be open to such presumption so soon. Maybe as he opened up to Harry until Christmas. Harry would breach the subject then, a decision made.
Tom says nothing, doesn't even look up from his reading. Harry doesn't know what to think.
He reaches into his own bag and flips through that dammed potions book again, noting his opinions this time, the readability of some of the ideas the author had had was making his head spin. Most of them were probably thought of while imbibing in those herbs the centaurs liked to smoke.
He is done with about half when he casts a tempus again. Eleven-forty. Perfect timing.
"Would you like to walk to lunch now?" "Yes"
And its a routine at this point. New habits. Barely formed. Slowly being strengthened by repetition. Bag. Door. Door. Plate. Tea. Bag. Door. A cycle that kept repeating. A hug existed in there somewhere. Three. Actually.
And then he leads Tom to that familiar one-eyed witch portrait hiding the tunnel to Honeydukes' cellar. He turns in both directions to ensure they're alone before he swings it open to motion for Tom to enter.
He closes it shut behind them and—
The dark is suddenly illuminated by a floating ball of Magic. Tom's Magic. He almost gasps. He is in disbelief.
It's about the size of Tom's fist, and it hovers above them slightly, throwing soft white light in all directions.
He is stunned. He is in awe. He is—
Speechless, as he reaches into his bag again. Says nothing as he draws closer to Tom, an imitation of last night's dinner. His arm wraps around Tom and the cloak wraps around them both and they set off one more towards Hogsmeade.
Harry does not take his eyes off the Magic until is fizzles out as they exit the cellar into the store.
There are a few people, being a weekend, so he discretely uncovers them and blends in, leading Tom to the door.
They exit into the street and he stops to take a look around. She's not in front of him, for sure. Maybe a message? But it's so public. As he is thinking his options through, he hears a soft crack. Mom. He turns to the origination of the sound, and—
Hears another familiar crack. A bit louder. It belonged to only one person. James. Dad. For the love of Merlin! He thought Lily understood!!!
"He insisted. And he was home. I'm sorry Harry." Quite the greeting as they turn to him.
"Harry", James voice a shout. "Darling" his mother's arms embrace him.
"And Tom. It is so nice to finally meet you. Harry's been hiding you long enough, huh?" MERLIN!
"Dad! Did you not read a single word?!" "I read all of them", an emphasis on the all even as Lily looks away. Great. Perfect. Just absolutely what he bloody needed.
Merlin knows how James would act!
Tom, who hasn't said a single word so far, and has only been eyeing the newcomers with a hint of anticipation, moves his face to a beautiful smile.
Harry enjoys it even as he knows it to be less than real. Less than the smiles he had given Harry. It matters not, Harry decides, as James and Lily are just as taken with Tom as he is. He is a beautiful boy, after all. And smart. The deadly combo, humans should only be allowed one.
"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, it is so nice to finally meet you, as well. I fought my way through his clutches, don't worry. He knows not to do it again."
—And by Merlin, the boy is perfect. Nothing could have gone over better with James than a joke. And nothing would have gone over better with Lily than the Slytherin-ness of Tom's response, of his appeasement of James. Sharp verbal reflexes....until Harry shocked him sitting at that library table over and over. He smiles for different reasons.
James laughs is loud, pulling the attention of pretty much every pedestrian in the street. Ugh. "We're supposed to be sneaking. Do you think that hacking you call laughing is helping with that?" A tiny jab into James' side. It is returned with a tight side hug and softer laughter as they lead the boy's into the Three Broomsticks.
"I know I said lunch, but we didn't have enough time to finish the shopping before one, and I knew you'd be done with lunch by then. You boys can get a Butterbeer and dessert if you'd like. We're starving", and Lily sounds it too. Madam Rosmerta leads them to their usual table, greeting them as she directs their glasses full of water.
"The usual?" She stops. "Oh! A new guest! Well hello there, young man. I have never seen you in my shop before."
"Tom Riddle, I just started at Hogwarts, ma'am."
"Oh! What a polite young man! And for someone so young! Can I get you anything to drink doll?" Tom's face scrunches at the endearment and Harry wants to laugh.
"Butterbeer?" The word is almost a question. She nods. "Butterbeer it is love." This is hilarious. The only thing that could top this was the real Lord Voldemort, having to sit and listen to Madam Rosmerta's petnames and call her ma'am. Now that's an amusing thought, however impossible. It is so absurd he actually lets out a giggle.
Four pairs of eyes turn to him as he attempts to hold back any hint that that had even just happened. "Nothing, just thinking about a joke I read earlier." Well shit.
"I wanna hear it too. Harry. Harry. I wanna hear it too. What is it? Was it in today's Prophet?" Merlin!
"No dad. A different joke. A joke in my mind. Nevermind. Just a butterbeer for me as well, Madam Rosmerta, thank you."
James turns to her. "The usual for us, Rose, thank you" he says, then turns to Harry.
"What joke in your head. Maybe I'll laugh at it too!" Mer. Lin.
"It's not a joke you'd like Dad." Why? Why? WHY?
"How do you know what kind of jokes I like Harry?"
"Please" he says instead. There is no reprive.
Infact, it gets worse. "Anyways, didn't you say you read it at the start? And then you said it was in your mind? Which one is it?"
For the love of....
"Nevermind. I said. Nevermind." He needs a distraction. "Tom would you like to try a new dessert? They have the best tiramisu in England here, I promise."
Tom nods, and thus he is successful and—
James turns to Tom then. "Do you see how he treats me? And I'm his dad? Can you believe it? I bet you don't talk to your Dad like that. I bet you're all sweet and polite. I'll take you, I'll send him home to yours." He points at Harry.
"I...." a serious hesitation, yet Harry knows he needs to speak the truth. He hopes he will. "Don't have a Dad. Or a Mom. I live in an orphanage." The presumed inferiority the hesitation had denoted had left no trace in his voice, so matter of fact it was.
Like it was normal. And it was. Harry knew. Knew. A deep breath. This was Tom's moment.
"So you're coming home for Christmas And Summers? Sweet!" And he could kiss James' nose for that, embarrassing as it would be. Merlin! Lily chose well, atleast.
Tom looks at him at that statement, a sudden turn of his head. He wants to laugh. He told the boy. Merlin. He loves his parents who aren't his parents.
"If" Tom starts and James only let's him get that far.
"There's no if, unless you would rather go back. But even then, you will need to spend a few weeks with us. I'm tired of the rudeness in this household. My own son", he gives Harry a look, his eyes narrowed, shining with mirth, "you saw how he speaks to me. How he treats me like I'm dirt beneath the shoes I slaved over to buy him." Harry laughs. Lily laughs. Tom doesn't say or do anything. He is still smiling. No response.
"I'm sure I could teach him some manners. He has taught me a lot too, after all." He says after some consideration. "Oh he left his books long enough to teach you something?" James flicks a napkin towards him.
"Harry is a good friend." Is Tom's solid conclusion to Harry's parents.
They look at each other with a specific look in his eyes. Harry is growing a bit afraid.
Thankfully, Madam Rosmerta takes this wonderful time as her cue to interrupt with drinks and two plates of lamb sheperds pie.
"Enjoy dearies", she parts to another customer.
"We would love to have you over for Christmas and Summer, Tom. As long as you and Harry are friends, and then we'll kick him out if something happens." Lily's voice is light, her tone teasing. "I agree with James. When presented with options, I can't help but choose the better alternative." She smiles wide at Tom and quickly sticks her tongue out at Harry, as she continues to eat.
Harry mirrors her to James' laugh. He looks back at Tom to see that real smile again. He liked when Harry was a bit silly, did he? Cute!
When they're finished with lunch, they sit with their half glass of butterbeer before James starts again.
"So how do you like the Map, Tom?" What! Merlin!
Tom looks shocked, the silence growing louder by the second. He says nothing. James takes this as his sign to continue.
"You know, I was the one with the idea for the Map in the first place! If you have questions about it, you should write to ME! I'm bored in the office all day long, and Lily does shit that interests her. Oh, wait! Can I say shit? I did it again!" Lily slaps him on the back of the head. "Sorry babe", he's not!
He looks at Tom seriously (siriusly) this time. "Do you have an owl?" A direct question. James, the ultimate Gryffindor. Tom shakes his head. "I thought not, with the Muggles. I'll send you an owl. It's yours. It can live at the owlery in school until you're back with Harry."
Harry doesn't know whether to kiss him or kill him.
Tom saves him from truly making a decision either way.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Potter. You are very kind. I am honored to be invited into your home."
"Another thank you out of you and I take that invitation back." This time it's him! Sticking his tongue out at Tom! Merlin!
Tom actually laughs at that. A light sound, easily lost in their surroundings, and yet his face signals the act. "Tha—" he starts on purpose and returns James' teasing gesture so quick Harry thinks he imagined it.
But no! James starts laughing so loudly he actually chokes a good few seconds in. Lily pats his back, but she's laughing too.
Thank Merlin everyone is amused at the moment, no one is paying attention to Harry. He thinks he's going to spontaneously combust at how things are going. At how easily Tom has gotten along with them, how easily he had become freinds with Harry. His heart is going to burst out of his chest and his skull is tight pressure. Overwhelmed. In the best way.
He casts another tempus when he finishes his drink. It's about two-thirty in a few. "Zonkos?" He and James say at the same time, and laugh. "Yes" he says and they stand.
He doesn't miss how his mother eyes him when she sees Tom's bag on his shoulder. Or how she eyes James. Or glances at Tom. Merlin.
As they walk, they pass Spintwitches Sporting Needs and, an idea. "Mom, dad, could you send Tom one of my broomsticks from home. Last years Firebolt, I think it's in the shed, not in storage."
"You like flying, Tom?" James is super excited again. This time Harry cannot blame anyone but himself.
"I flew just the once, but it was an amazing experience."
"I call dibs on Tom. And Pads."
"Dad! You can't do that. I wanted him in my team! That's unfair!"
"I called dibs, Harry. Dibs. Or did you forget?"
"No"
"Good boy. Tom you're on my team for the next family Quidditch match. You better be good!" James laughs, and he can't help it, the stinging hex flows from the tip of his wand.
James dodges it with a laugh. "Your aim is terrible! I take it back! Bad boy! No bone!"
He laughs, "Oh wait, that's the other person
who's as rude to me as you are. I'm gonna get rid of you both and just keep my sweet three."
They're at Zonkos now. James moves at his statement to wrap an arm around Tom, pushing Harry a bit to the side.
"Tom....this is my favourite place in the whole world. When I die, I will be buried under these hallowed grounds. It's been written into my will."
Lily cuts in, "That's not how it works", even as he says, "Not now Lils, I'm talking to my new best friend right now."
"Ignore them, Tom. I'm the one you wanna pay attention to, okay?" Tom nods.
"I will walk you through all my favorites but don't pick anything up unless you specifically want to test something right then. You'll see why." Another nod.
His mother loops her arm in hers as James leads Tom around the shop, all the while going on and on about his favorite prank equipment in his glory days at Hogwarts.
They spend a bit of time before they meet back up at the counter. James is still going. "I'll send you a mirror too, like Harry. If you don't understand anything, just say, 'James' and I'll be there to explain it to you." "Yes Mr. Potter." "James." "Mr. Potter."
Harry thinks they've done this a while. Tom is smiling at his Dad as the clerk shrinks away what seems to be atleast one of each of Zonkos offerings. More of James' special favourites. Harry shakes his head. His parents should have had another kid. Honestly. Atleast now they had Tom.
They walk out of Zonkos and Lily turns to Tom. "I almost forgot. I have some books for you Tom. General subject books but also my favorite general potions books. They are clear and informative without being boring. You can write to me as well, or say Lily in the mirror." A smile that is returned.
Today has turned out to be a great day. Almost matching up with yesterday. A wonderful day, indeed.
Lily passes Harry the shrunken bag from her purse. "You boys better head back to the castle now. Prepare for the start of the year tomorrow. Tom. It was so so nice to meet you, young man. You are indeed the best friend Harry could have made." Harry wants to laugh at this, but oh well. "So polite and charming. I am waiting to see you again next Sunday and ofcourse, to have you over for Christmas. I can't wait!"
She doesn't understand the actual ramifications of her next actions as she quickly steps up to embrace Tom in one of her amazing hugs before moving to Harry.
James follows her. And he ruffles Tom's hair. Harry is not a fan. Only he wants to be able to do that. To see Tom's nose make that expression. Not James! Merlin!
James turns to him after Lily, solid and enveloping and present. Grounding. He misses them.
"Be safe boys. And Tom, write if you need stationery before you run out. And you be safe too. I love you Harry. See you next Sunday."
"Love you both. See you next week."
He turns to place his arm on Tom's shoulder again as they part. He leads him to a small alley way, draping the cloak over them, dillusioning their feet and silencing them fully.
They walk back to the castle and Harry really considers the last two and half hours that have changed more between them than the last 24 hours had.