"Clean the dishes." The command held no emotion. It was the tenth of the day and it was only noon.
There were times when he wondered why he abided his parents. Yet, for as long as he could remember, he had never once defied their orders. He was weak, and he knew this because his parents dug the fact into him nearly everyday. He was not intelligent, and he knew this because his brother never failed. He would die if he stepped outside the house and he knew this because every time he tried, he came closer and closer to dying.
He fed on leftovers and watered with a cup touched by no one else. He slept in a closet, bathed once a week and wore any cloth that was ready to be thrown into the trash. He only left his closet when a command was issued. This was how he knew something about himself was hideous.
He was paler than his parents. His hair was blond and their's dark. His eyes were a dull grey and their's contained splashing hues of blue and green. For this reason he dreaded passing the mirror on the way to the kitchens.
"Hi Tom!" a cheery voice came when he has nearly completed the dishes. He knew of only one voice that had ever bared any kindness in its tone.
"Hi Jason," he replied in a near whisper, his excitement exposed in with a soft smile. Jason was a year older than Tom and spent most of his time in a boarding school where he busied himself to remain the star pupil. Usually, he was just as occupied during vacations. This week he would begin shadowing a columnist at the Daily Prophet.
It was difficult to be jealous of Jason, though. Jealously implied some form of dislike and disliking Jason was simply not possible. "Let's play a game of exploding snap later."
Tom nodded obediently.
Jason was somewhat aware of the way his parents treated Tom. He was also aware of his inability to do much to rectify the situation. As leader of the wealthiest wizarding firm in France, his father could not afford the publicity of exposure. As one of the most prominent families in society, his mother would not survive the humiliation. As heir apparent of said firm and prominence, he would inherit any sustained damages.
For reasons unclear to him, his parents refused to allow Tom out of the house. They would not allow him to live elsewhere and while this baffled Jason, he knew better than to ask why. Though a part of him was determined to release Tom from the house in the future, he knew that this future was far away and till then there could only be games of exploding snap.
What Jason could not know, however, was that every game, every interaction was a moment of salvation for Tom. It was a moment less in the closet. It felt less like a command and more like a request. It meant being with someone else. It meant listening to something other than annoyance and impatience. Sometimes, it even meant laughing.
