New Toy
Tom's seventh birthday was the turning point of his life. He had never gotten a present or had his birthday celebrated, but he knew he was born that day because the caregivers would always remind him.
The reminder was meant to count down to his eighteen birthday when they would no longer have to care for him. Tom didn't mind. He was counting down to that day too.
Yet that year, Tom received a present that changed his whole world.
Maybe the universe thought Tom deserved something special because he was special and sent him Regulus.
Regulus arrived the morning of his seventh birthday with the few other orphans picked off the street by the collection unit. He was the quietest of the children, the smallest too, and Tom had watched them unload from his room, mentally marking which would be the easiest targets.
Regulus had been one of the first he marked because the boy was holding the hand of a sobbing girl, trying his best to comfort her. His emotions were a weakness, along with his age, a toddler with soft, wavey hair and chubby cheeks.
He was much more taken care of than the too-thin sobbing girl, and Tom scoffed.
He knew Sofia would get caught, as despite her many attempts at running, the girl was much too stupid to escape, and her punishment would be worse each time. The scars on her arm should have taught her it was hopeless for someone normal like her.
Tom also knew she would disappear soon, so he should try to run by her room and steal her blanket when he could. Troublemakers like her often got taken care of, and he would have been one of them if it wasn't for bad things happening to people who tried.
He had his room, cramped and dark as it was, because Tom could do extraordinary things. Wonderful things. And Sofia couldn't, so she was another child that would be lost in the system and her body found in some unmarked grave.
Regulus was special too, but Tom didn't know that at the time. He only knew that the new boy brought in wore proper clothes, was adequately fed, and didn't seem overly emotional like the other young kids.
They announced their names at lunch, Mrs. Cole forcing them to stand before the eyes of the other orphans who were sizing up the new competition for survival. Regulus' name was the most elegant, and the boy's demeanor was a bit posh but otherwise perfect.
Regulus was the only new arrival that seemed manageable.
He thought it was because Regulus had just lost his parents and didn't understand they would never be coming back. Tom planned on tricking Regulus into giving away his belongings by using this information since he was probably convinced mommy or daddy would save him soon.
Since Regulus was so young, Mrs. Cole placed him in the nursery with the other infants and toddlers. Winter had not yet passed, and since the nursery was understaffed, overfilled, and unprotected against the elements overall, winter would be extra harsh there. Tom had heard they lost three babes to the bitter cold alone that month. Still, when he snuck in to see the newest arrival, he found Regulus sitting comfortably in a corner, looking to be unaffected by the freezing temperature.
Regulus' blanket had been wrapped around a five-month-year-old boy who Tom heard wasn't going to survive either if he didn't get warm enough.
The nurses would never take a blanket from one of them, even if it meant the survival of another. If a child died, it was only because they were weak. Regulus had been the one to keep- whatever the baby's name is alive.
It meant that the toddler had willingly given up his source of warmth.
Tom had given Regulus a confused frown but chose to ignore the toddler instead of stealing the blanket while the nurse was out. Regulus' chubby fingers clamped around his wrist before he could.
"What do you think you're doing?" Regulus demanded. Tom was momentarily thrown by how lovely his voice was. He didn't sound like a worthless street rat. He sounded important.
"Let go." He hissed, willing the hand on his arm to burn. Regulus let out a whimper as he let go, the slight red of his palm the result of Tom's extraordinary power.
"Magic...." Regulus whispered then, much to Tom's shock; instead of being frightened like many other weak children, the toddler's whole face lit up in joy. "You're magic!"
Tom had never seen someone look so happy when speaking to him. It made his heart leap. "I'm what?"
"Magic!" Regulus' little hand wrapped around Tom's, squeezing his fingers between his own. It was at this moment that Tom realized something.
Regulus was warm. Not the usual kind of warm like when one got a fever or when someone was alive but the warmth he felt when near a fire. He was so friendly and pretty that when he smiled up at him, Tom forgot all about his plan. "You're like me!"
Those three words made Tom realize he wanted to keep Regulus forever, so like all the shiny toys he wanted, he stole the boy and hid him in his room. Regulus followed him quickly because all his toys should do as he said.
Later Regulus proved he was special, too, when he placed his little hands on Tom's chest as they were getting ready for bed, and a rush of warmth spread all over his body. It was the first time in his life that he didn't feel a lick of cold.
"A heating charm," Regulus whispered. "It's one of the wandless spells I know."
Yes, Tom made a good choice stealing Regulus. Because the little boy with pretty silver eyes looked like a doll, and he likes dolls. No one would ever be taking him away.